I have always been pro-life. I have always believed that abortion is wrong and made sure I voted for pro-life political candidates. But in the last couple of years, I’ve started to become even more saddened by abortion, both for the babies who will never live and for the mothers who felt pressured or guilted into getting an abortion, and who will live with the consequences for the rest of their lives. I’ve started to realize that it’s not enough to say I’m pro-life, but that I need to be pro-active: I need to do something about it! I’m still not completely sure what that will look like for me, but I wanted to share with you some pro-life organizations who do a great job taking care of moms and babies. These are just a few groups that I know of and that I’ve supported, but I know there are many more great groups out there!
— CareNet | CareNet is a nationwide network of pregnancy centers. Here’s more about their vision and mission:
Vision – Care Net envisions a culture where women and men faced with pregnancy decisions are transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ and empowered to choose life for their unborn children and abundant life for their families.
Mission – Acknowledging that every human life begins at conception and is worthy of protection, Care Net offers compassion, hope, and help to anyone considering abortion by presenting them with realistic alternatives and Christ-centered support through our life-affirming network of pregnancy centers, organizations, and individuals.
There’s a CareNet pregnancy center in the area where I live, and I learned about them through several churches in the area. They do baby bottle fundraising drives, where churches pass out baby bottles for the congregation to fill up with change or cash. It’s a great way to get churches involved, and I’m glad my church participates! Pregnancy centers are definitely on the front lines of the pro-life movement, and CareNet is a great example of that.
— Embrace Grace | Embrace Grace is another great way for churches to get involved with promoting a culture of life! Here’s how they describe what they do:
WHAT WE DO:
Embrace Grace, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed for the purpose of providing emotional, practical and spiritual support for single, young women and their families who find themselves in an unintended pregnancy. The primary goal of Embrace Grace is to empower churches across the nation to be a safe and non-judging place for the girls to run to when they find out they are pregnant, instead of the last place they are welcomed because of shame and guilt.
WHY WE EXIST:
Most churches advocate life and discourage women from getting abortions, but once a brave and courageous girl chooses life, a lot of times the church then steps away and has nothing to offer her for support at that point. She is then left with nine months of being scared, worried and feeling alone. She journeys into a season of being a single mom without direction and guidance from a spiritual family. This is where the Body of Christ can minister to women who are desperately searching for a Savior. This is where we can speak into their lives and hearts that will have an impact for generations to come!
I love the heart behind their ministry and how they equip local churches to make a difference in their communities. More than just saying we’re pro-life, we need to be pro-love. Our message means nothing unless we actually do something to help the women facing unplanned pregnancies.
— Save the Storks | I first learned about Save the Storks from a friend of friend, who used to work for my college but now works for Save the Storks. They work with pregnancy centers in a variety of ways, but the most unique way is through mobile pregnancy centers called Stork Buses: “Our [mobile medical units] allow pregnancy resource centers to operate anywhere abortion-vulnerable women are likely to be – outside of abortion clinics, on university campuses, and at public events. These mobile pregnancy centers minimize the distance and roadblocks between women who most need the help of a pregnancy resource center. We believe going mobile is one of the most effective strategies for reaching women contemplating abortion. We’ve seen it profoundly expand the reach and increase the impact of pregnancy centers all over the nation.” They have 20 buses on the road and 20 more in production, and they’ve helped to save over 1,000 babies. This is a really unique and effective way to reach mothers and babies! They also sell some awesome t-shirts and accessories, and even their own coffee!
If you know of any other great pro-life organizations, please share them in the comments! I would love to learn more about other pro-life ministries and help them however I can. I’d love to hear your thoughts!