Being the grant writer for the Pregnancy Care Centers of South Central Indiana, many people have asked me over the past 8 years why we haven’t applied for government funds for our Choose to Wait program.
While Title V funding has provided $50 million each year in block grants throughout the U.S. for primarily abstinence-only education, our board and staff felt it was a risk to rely on funding from an administration that could change every four years, thus changing funding priorities as well.
On Tuesday, the 2010 budget from the Department of Health and Human Services came out stating it “eliminates funding for Community-Based Abstinence Education [and] the mandatory Title V Abstinence Education program.” Those funds will now go to support contraceptive-based sex education.
Our hearts are broken for the many, quality abstinence-only education programs throughout the U.S. and the million students they speak to each year that will no longer hear the message that they have a future worth waiting.
Yet, we are overwhelmed with thankfulness for our MANY supporters who have given generously to not only maintain our programs, but expand them. In 2008, Choose to Wait and Wise Choices were in 35 schools in 8 counties in South Central Indiana and spoke to more than 6,000 students.
Please join us in praying for those programs that have lost their funding; that supporters will come forth to ensure no student goes without hearing the message that waiting until marriage will always be in their best interest, and students are equipped with the tools necessary to make that goal a reality.
Teresa Russell, Director of Marketing
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