FROM OUR PRINTED DEC. 2023 EDITION

Pregnancy Centers are a Huge Resource for Women in Massachusetts, and the Attorney General is Trying to Shut us Down

Imagine being unexpectedly pregnant. You may have children at home already. Stressed out isn’t even an apt description for how you feel. Maybe the dad isn’t involved. It’s all you and you need help. And you need it now. Yet, because you live in Massachusetts, the state shut down all the free pregnancy resource centers that have helped thousands of women like yourself in the past with limited free medical care, tangible goods for you and your baby, counseling services, and emotional support both during and after your pregnancy. Now, the only “choice” you’re left with is abortion.

This is the reality that Massachusetts and Attorney General Campbell want women facing unplanned pregnancies to live in. They want the only choice a woman has to be abortion because, really, that’s a great money maker for abortion clinics. And abortion clinics give a lot of money to politicians. Never mind the women that are going to be without help because of rabid pro-abortion politicians who seem to live for taking away free help for their constituents.

Attorney General Campbell is proudly endorsed by Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the state.

There’s another side to this story and it involves the pregnancy centers in the state that are in existence solely to help women. In 2022 alone, the Pregnancy Care Alliance in Massachusetts, which consists of 15 pregnancy care centers in the state, provided more than $743,900 worth of material assistance to women such as diapers, wipes, clothing, car seats, cribs, food, and formula. They also provided nearly $61,000 in pregnancy tests and more than half a million dollars in ultrasound exams.

These centers do things like lab-quality pregnancy testing, ultrasound exams, STI testing and treatment, consultations with licensed medical professionals, provide referrals for housing assistance, insurance, WIC, food assistance, give information on all pregnancy options, and provide material resources for families including clothing, diapers, formula, layette items, gift cards. All of their medical information is backed by scientific studies.

Our centers exist because of private donors. We receive zero taxpayer dollars. All our services are free of charge. We make no money no matter what decision our clients choose. Unlike abortion clinics, we do not profit from a woman’s choice.

The one thing pregnancy centers in Massachusetts do not do is refer for or perform abortions. We believe all life is sacred and holds immense value. From the moment of conception, each individual is unique and unrepeatable. Every person who comes through our doors is treated with respect, dignity, and compassion.

Pregnancy centers in Massachusetts have been under both physical and legal attacks for years. In June of 2022, two centers were vandalized and to this day, no one has been charged or arrested. Instead of condemning violence, officials in Massachusetts decided to slander pregnancy centers with false accusations. Imagine walking into work each day as a pregnancy center employee who wants to help women with free services and wonder if their center will be a place of violence instead of safety.

If Attorney General Campbell wants to truly help women, then she shouldn’t take away viable options. She shouldn’t slander pregnancy centers without taking the time to talk to pregnancy center directors and women who they have helped. By viciously targeting pregnancy centers, she is targeting the women we help. She is taking away safety nets these women would not have otherwise. We invite her to sit down with us and to talk to center directors and women who have utilized our services. Her campaign against us is irresponsible and harmful.

To those women who are in need of help and support, we are here for you and will continue to be here for you.

Sincerely,

Darlene Howard, Executive Director,
Abundant Hope Pregnancy Center (ahprc.org)

Teresa Larson, Executive Director,
Your Options Medical (youroptionsma.org)

Diane O’Toole, Executive Director,
Boston Center for Pregnancy Choices
(bostonpregnancychoices.org)

Megan Paradis, Executive Director,
First Concern Pregnancy Resource Center
(firstconcern.org)