Help Needed to Support Pregnancy Centers Damaged by Hurricane Katrina 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 8, 2005
Baton Rouge, LA (LifeNews.com) — The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), a nationwide network of 950 pro-life pregnancy help centers in 48 states, has set up an emergency relief fund to help pregnancy centers devastated by the recent hurricane in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
"The devastation from the hurricane is not only overwhelming but it has also placed incredible stresses on the already limited resources of pregnancy help centers in the hurricane region," says Thomas Glessner, president of NIFLA.
Dorothy Wallis, NIFLA board member and pregnancy center director in Baton Rouge has reported of the devastation. Baton Rouge has become a refuge camp and Dorothy’s pregnancy center is now a distribution center for the many needy. She writes the following plea:
This is beyond belief! I have never seen anything like this in my life. Military helicopters flying by constantly (like the old MASH incoming wounded copters), destitute people stopped by the interstate, no food, no home and many have lost loved ones who failed to heed the warning to comply with a mandatory evacuation. All I can say is help! We need help…
They are calling New Orleans a "Black Hole." Since five Pregnancy Resources Centers in the greater New Orleans and Slidell areas have become virtual black holes, and all of St. Tammany Parish is closed, Pregnancy Resource Centers in those areas are no longer available to meet the needs of their abortion-vulnerable population who have evacuated to greater Baton Rouge. The cell phones are either dead or jammed. I have desperately been trying to call my fellow directors to make sure that they are okay.
I have heard from Kay, the director in New Orleans who fled to Houston. Her three clinics are under water. The La Place center has water damage and I still have not been able to reach Emily. In New Orleans, neither Susan nor her staff can be reached. I have connected with Browne’s daughter and she said that they are awaiting news on how bad their damage is. As for Covington and Slidell, I have been trying to call Cindy and Rachel via cell since Monday to no avail. As for Tangipahoa, there is certain wind, tree and flood damage that could prevent any assistance in these areas for at least eight weeks. New Orleans refugees are being told that the city is completely submerged, and the earliest they will be allowed back in the city is three months. Even then, there will be no home or sentimental possessions to return to. Tom, I will keep you abreast when I hear from everyone.
On a side note, please pray for me. In our local maternity wards mothers are delivering in the hallways. The hospitals are sending their post-delivery patients to us for care. The American Red cross sent eight families today. The Crisis Pregnancy Centers of Baton Rouge are now responsible for meeting the needs of refugee women and children. Caring to Love Ministries and the Care Pregnancy Clinic are quickly meeting the demands of many of the families seeking the much needed assistance. But we cannot do it without your help! I am grateful to Michelle Sigler who called me today from New Beginnings CPC in West Virginia. She is in the process of sending two empty semis with diapers, formulas, wipes and water to us. Thank God for her!
I felt the need to ask you and NIFLA for help! I have setup a special Hurricane Relief Fund for online donations via PayPal at https://www.ctlm.org/. In addition to the Hurricane crisis, in six weeks many will be experiencing a crisis pregnancy and we need to be there for them.
The abortion clinics prey on young girls who are vulnerable in crisis situations. New Orleans had five abortion clinics, with us having one and a half. We need to make our presence known to a dislocated population in excess of one million. Again, please pray for me as we rise to the occasion. Help!
Again, donations for the Hurricane Relief Fund are setup through our website at https://www.ctlm.org/. Donated funds can be paid via PayPal. Our physical address is 3813 N. Flannery Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70814.
Thank you,
Dorothy Wallis
President CEO
Caring to Love Ministries
"NIFLA is asking every pro-life person to do what they are able to do at this time." stated Glessner."
"Right now the immediate needs of people must be met and it is too early to assess the damage the pregnancy centers have incurred and what needs to be done to get them up and running. Dorothy Wallis will be administering this fund through her pregnancy center in Baton Rouge. The funds will be used to help meet the immediate needs of pregnant women and will also be used to help individuals who work at pregnancy centers and have been displaced by the hurricane."
