Purpose with conviction. Service with care.

Grounded in the dignity of every human being, our mission is guided by clarity, care, and a commitment to life-affirming support for women and their children.

Our Mission

Stella Maris Life is a pro-life nonprofit devoted to the dignity and well-being of women and their children in times of vulnerability. Whether a woman is facing an unexpected or difficult pregnancy or a crisis that threatens her safety, shelter, or stability, she deserves a clear path to compassionate support. Our commitment to life calls us to care for the whole person, honoring her immediate needs, her circumstances, and her hope for what comes next.

We are building a free digital resource guide to bring trusted, local services together in one place. In moments often marked by fear and uncertainty, Stella Maris Life exists to make compassionate support easier to find and understand.

Our mission is not to replace existing organizations, but to strengthen the connection between women in need and the care already present within their communities. Through these connections, Stella Maris Life seeks to help restore order, confidence, and hope in moments of crisis.

Our aim is simple: no woman will have to walk alone.

Our approach is simple.

Stella Maris Life is guided by a commitment to clarity over urgency, dignity over pressure, and careful stewardship over scale. We are a Catholic, pro-life organization rooted in the belief that every human life possesses inherent dignity and worth. Our work is propelled by faith and a conviction that women deserve compassionate, truthful support that affirms both their dignity and the life they carry.

 

A Community-Centered Mission.

We believe that when women are met with care, clarity, and community, they are far more likely to choose a life-affirming path toward motherhood. This organization is being developed thoughtfully and deliberately, with attention to local context and long-term sustainability.

Meet the Founder

Stella Maris Life was founded by Heather Groening, a law school graduate, whose work is shaped by a commitment to protecting human life and dignity and ensuring that no woman is left to navigate moments of crisis alone.

Her work and mission, guided by her Catholic faith, reflects a belief that access to clear information and local support can profoundly change outcomes, through community and care.

Join Our Mission

Board of Directors

  • Heather Groening

    Founder & President

  • Emma Randall

    Treasurer

  • Valerie Gilchrist

    Board Member

  • Roxana Nicholson

    Board Member

  • Jeff Nicholson

    Board Member

  • "It is my dream to see that every woman experiencing a crisis pregnancy, or other vulnerable moment in her life, is met with compassionate guidance and care. When the pro-life movement says life is precious, we mean mothers as well."

    — Heather Groening

Under the Patronage Of

Stella Maris Life is entrusted to the maternal care of Our Blessed Mother, the intercession of Blessed Carlo Acutis, and the protection of St. Michael the Archangel.

Blessed Mother, guide this mission with your maternal wisdom and shelter every mother and child adrift on a stormy sea beneath your mantle.

Blessed Carlo Acutis, inspire our digital work to radiate truth, clarity, and unwavering reverence for life.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend this mission with courage and protect all those entrusted to our care.