Congressman Dan Lipinski, former St. Rep. Jeanne Ives joined opening of new crisis center
CHICAGO –On February 24, a new pregnancy care center opened in Flossmoor near the region's new Planned Parenthood clinic.
The event was more than just a celebration of the opening of this new center to support women and their unborn children. It was also a demonstration of the powerful result of the unification of many from different backgrounds, talents, cultures and economic statuses for a greater cause.
The Southland Coalition for Life raised most of the funding to build the new Aid for Women Flossmoor. One of the founders of the Southland Coalition for Life and Aid for Women board member Kris Cortes explained, “Our support in this first year has come primarily from Flossmoor, which is a middle-class community, and from surrounding communities which are lower income. It is because of hundreds of individual donations that we are here.”
The rebuilding of the center was completed through the generosity of Operation Nehemiah. This group of mostly tradesmen and retired firemen donated their time to complete the hardest parts of the renovation. Members of the Southland Coalition joined in and together finished the work ahead of schedule.
“We may not have the funding and power of the State of Illinois that pays for abortions through Medicaid, nor the $1.6 billion in revenue of Planned Parenthood, but what we do have is the power of a shared belief — that every mother facing an unplanned pregnancy and every unborn child has infinite dignity and value, and deserves our affirmation, support and protection,” stated Dennis Cortes, another Southland Coalition founder.
Attending the event were Illinois Congressman Dan Lipinski, a Democrat, and former Republican Illinois State Representative and Illinois Gubernatorial Candidate Jeanne Ives.
“When Planned Parenthood went up here (in Flossmoor), we said we are going to be right there, to challenge every day — to challenge the culture of death with the culture of life,” stated Congressman Lipinski to the diverse crowd of men, women, children, African Americans, Hispanics, whites, young and young-at-heart.
Ives added, “When they opened up this Planned Parenthood, our response was not to lie down. Our response was not to be complacent or lukewarm. Our response was to create a haven of hope for women.”
Aid for Women client, Rayanna, spoke a heartwarming tribute, “Going to Aid for Women was the best decision of my life. They gave me so much….That’s why I’m where I am today. I am a mother, and I did it.”
Diverse America can unite, even in these challenging political times, when they do so for a common goal to uphold the dignity and value of all human life. Aid for Women Flossmoor is proof of this.
For more information, go to www.helpaidforwomen.org.
