The Pregnancy Resource Center is an anti-abortion “resource center” for women located in Grand Rapids next to a Planned Parenthood office. The Centers website and promotional materials repeatedly reference their work as being supported by God and the Center operates with an agenda that promotes elevating the “sanctity of human life to the point that abortion is neither needed nor wanted in the greater Grand Rapids community” and makes little reference to promoting the health of women (only one of four points in its mission concern health) who come into the Center and instead talks of their work to “glorify God” as they “defend pre-born children,” “help heal lives traumatized by abortion,” and to “challenge people to embrace a Biblical view of sexuality” (source). The Center also promotes abstinence education that emphasizes “Gods truth” (source) and counseling to convince women not to have abortions. Similar centers are found across the United States, and according to a study by Representative Henry Waxman they frequently mislead pregnant teenagers about the medical risks of abortion by telling teenagers that abortion leads to breast cancer, infertility, and mental illness. Despite their political and religious agenda, these centers have received $30 million in federal funding under the Bush administration.
The Pregnancy Resource Center has been funded by the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation, the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation, and the Cook Charitable Foundation.
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