Pro-life pregnancy centers across the U.S. are preparing to help more mothers in need now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade.
In Kentucky, Kay Hammond of the Appalachian Pregnancy Care Center said they are serving 200 families right now, and they expect that number to increase when the state abortion ban goes into effect, the Appalachian News-Express reports.
A judge recently blocked the pro-life law, but state Attorney General Daniel Cameron is appealing.
Hammond, the executive director of the Pikeville non-profit, told the newspaper that she has been reaching out to local pro-lifers and churches to ask for help in anticipation of the increase. She said they want to be prepared to help women with both material and emotional support.
“A lot of times when girls come to the center they are broken and scared,” Hammond said. “They need compassion because they are tender-hearted and confused. They just need someone to show them they care about them.”
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Sometimes, she said pregnant mothers just need encouragement. In one case, she said a young woman was driving by their center at 5:30 a.m. on her way to an abortion appointment when she saw a light on and decided to stop. Hammond told the newspaper that she spoke with the young woman, encouraging her and offering her hope, and the young woman chose life for her baby.
In other cases, they need financial and material help. The pregnancy center provides pregnancy tests, pre- and post-natal care, baby clothes, diapers, maternity supplies and more. Hammond said they also provide counseling about parenting, education, finances and relationships, as well as post-abortion counseling.
The nonprofit does not receive any state or federal funding, it relies solely on donations from churches and individuals, she said.
Abortions have killed more than 63 million unborn babies in America in the past 50 years. On June 24, for the first time since 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court began allowing states to protect unborn babies from abortion again.
Thirteen already have done so, although Kentucky and several others have been blocked by court orders, and more state are expected to enact pro-life laws in the coming weeks. The Charlotte Lozier Institute estimates more than 110,000 unborn babies are being saved from abortion as a result of the pro-life laws currently in place.
Pro-life organizations are stepping up to help these mothers and babies, providing everything from baby supplies and financial support to counseling and mentoring. There are approximately 3,000 pregnancy centers like the Appalachian Pregnancy Care Center across the U.S. that serve millions of women and families.
“We were there for her before Roe v. Wade. And we’ll be there for her after Roe v. Wade,” said Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International, the largest pregnancy help network in the U.S., earlier this month.
Other organizations like CareNet, Human Coalition, Let Them Live, Catholic Charities, ProLove Ministries and more also provide non-judgmental counseling, education and financial support for pregnant and parenting mothers and babies.
After the Supreme Court ruling in June, Christian Employers Alliance president Shannon Royce urged Christians to support pro-life organizations now more than ever.
“The unborn need protection, and their mothers need help and hope,” Royce said. “Now, more than ever, people of good faith must continue to save the lives of babies and serve their mothers. We can love them both.”
