The Central Alberta Pregnancy Care Centre (CAPCC) invited the public for its grand opening and to tour the second phase of its maternity home in downtown Red Deer on Thursday.

That portion of the building includes seven one-bedroom apartments, where clients can stay until their children are two years old while picking up parenting skills.

Compared to the four suites built two years ago under Phase 1, where kitchens and living rooms are shared, clients live more independently, but still receive parental support services. It's safe, stable housing where they can also finish school, receive job training and if needed, access counseling.

Executive director Anne Waddell said it's also a place where young mothers, many of whom come from rough backgrounds, rediscover community.

"Often they come from such broken backgrounds, they don't trust, they don't know what a healthy relationship looks like," she said. "They don't have much hope for the future. We're just painting a whole new picture of what life could be like and what they deserve, and not to settle for nothing but the best."

The total capital cost for the project is $3.3 million and CAPCC has fundraised 75 per cent of it to date, Waddell said.