I recently submitted a letter to the editor of the Amarillo Globe News, and it was published today.  Unfortunately, they can only accept 250 words or less, so I’ve included my full original letter here.

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In response to “Letter: Anti-Abortion Side Should Mind Its Own Business” to the editor on October 30, 2016.

I must admit that at first glance this letter written by Ms Elliston was highly offensive, but after more consideration I am thrilled to be able to ease some of her concerns.

Ms. Elliston states, “Instead of trying to micromanage the lives of total strangers, anti-abortionists could volunteer with organizations serving children. I’ve never heard of an organization that has too many volunteers or too much money. I’ve never heard of a school administrator who complains and says, ‘We have such a huge amount of money, I don’t see how we can spend all of it.’”

I am the Executive Director of CareNet Pregnancy Centers & Mentoring Programs here in Amarillo, and we are a pro-life organization.  I would like to just disagree slightly with her terminology, we aren’t anti-abortion.  We are pro-life…pro all life; the life of the mother, the life of the father, and life of the baby.  But, to the greater point, I am thrilled to report that we aren’t concerned with micromanaging people’s lives, and I hope that it will ease your mind to know that we actually do serve children, hundreds every month and not just children, but the parents and families as well.  As a matter of fact, through all of our branches (two in Amarillo and one in Canyon) we serve over 1,300 people every month.

Here is a list of services we provide and ALL of our services are FREE and confidential:

• Pregnancy tests
• Ultrasound
• Parenting classes
• Childbirth classes
• Baby safety classes (taught by local pediatricians)
• Post – abortion support groups
• Benevolence items – diapers, formula, furniture, baby clothes up to size 4
• Mentoring programs serving children from middle school through the first two years of college
• Scholarships for our clients and the children of our clients

This is just a short list of our services that I am sure will satisfy this statement in the article from October 30^th as well, “The anti-abortionists are only interested in children until they reach six months of gestation—then they are somebody else’s problem.”  As you can see from the services listed above, we are concerned not only for babies at six months gestation, but for the well-being of the whole family.

Ms Elliston also states, “According to a recent Amarillo Globe-News article, 7,000 elementary children are enrolled in Snack Pak 4 Kids.”  I’m so glad this point was brought up and I am 100% with her!  Ashley Morgan and Snack Pak 4 Kids do a tremendous service for kids and families in our community.  I can assure you that our supporters, donors, volunteers, staff, and board members certainly don’t think that children of any age, babies yet born all the way through their teen years, are someone else’s problem.  They give time and resources very generously not to “micromanage,” but to come alongside of and support in practical ways for the good of children and their families.  There are countless organizations that positively impact families and children in our community Mission2540, Mission Amarillo, Eveline River’s Sunshine Cottages and Christmas Project, Downtown Women’s Center, Arrow, City Church, The Children’s Home, Faith City Ministries, Martha’s Home, Big Brothers Big Sisters…and the list goes on and on.  These are people in our community who believe that the next generation isn’t someone else’s problem, they are our privilege and blessing.

Life is precious.  All life.  All people.

“If there were more abortions, there would be fewer lonely, neglected, hungry, abused, abandoned and homeless children. This would result in the need for fewer children’s shelters, welfare workers, police, prison cells and homeless shelters” is the final quote I would like to address.  In our country, the United States, on a daily basis there are approximately 4,000 babies aborted.  4,000 a day.  To argue that taking more innocent lives would answer our social problems lacks compassion and reason.  I would beg of you to go to these people that you name, those in shelters, those on welfare, however difficult and painful their life circumstance may be, you will have a hard time finding even one who would agree with you that they or society would have been better off if they had been aborted.

Ms Elliston, if you are interested in serving children, I would love to give you a tour.  We should be easy for you to find.  You can come by our newest location, located at 1501 S. Taylor (the old Planned Parenthood building).

Candy Gibbs

Executive Director

CareNet Pregnancy Centers & Mentoring Programs