Brandy’s experience exemplifies the significant impact that pregnancy resource centres have on their local communities.
She had sought assistance at the Morning Star centre in south-central Pennsylvania at a time of significant personal distress. She had sought refuge from an abusive relationship with three young daughters in tow, only to discover that she was pregnant.
Ultimately, as a consequence of the empathetic assistance she received from Morning Star, Brandy elected to place her child for adoption. This was a challenging decision, but one that she felt was the optimal choice for herself and her infant.
This year, the number of client visits to Morning Star has exceeded 3,100. It is one of a number of pregnancy resource centres, maternity homes, and adoption agencies that are part of Pennsylvania’s Pregnancy and Parenting Support Services programme.
The future of the programme is now uncertain following the announcement by Democrat Governor Josh Shapiro that he plans to not renew the contract of Real Alternatives, which has successfully run the award-winning programme for 27 years.
Organisations such as Morning Star facilitate the empowerment of women, enabling them to make life-affirming decisions for themselves and their families. It is commendable that they provide assistance to survivors of domestic violence and other pregnant women facing challenging circumstances.
Pregnancy care centres represent an essential component of the safety net for women in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Those who are critical of the centres would be well advised to visit them in order to gain an understanding of the success stories that are an integral part of their everyday work.
In the context of economic uncertainty in the United States, the role of pregnancy resource centers in providing material resources such as diapers and baby clothes for families is arguably more crucial than ever. It is evident that a one-piece garment such as a onesie is not available at a Planned Parenthood facility.
It is therefore imperative that we intensify our efforts to provide support to organisations such as Morning Star, which are facilitating the construction of a future-oriented bridge for each woman they assist.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
