Newsletter 4 2022

LIFELINES

NEWS UPDATE - FALL 2022

"This unplanned pregnancy
was not in vain."

The oldest of 8 siblings and already a mother, Shakela is
accustomed to being surrounded by babies, pregnancy and all-
things unexpected. One thing Shakela didn't expect to experience
was feeling alone.
When she found out she was pregnant, Shakela was in denial. Two
of her sisters were pregnant at the same time, so she assumed she
was experiencing sympathy symptoms. Her boyfriend began to
pressure her to terminate the pregnancy, and Shakela didn't
know where to turn. Until she found PAC.
On her first visit to PAC, she met with an advocate who helped her
identify the support systems she had in place and to see the
positives: she is already a mom, her life wouldn’t be over, and she
can do this. Shakela received this guidance with an open heart, and
convinced her boyfriend to return with her for the ultrasound. With
her boyfriend present, the medical staff at PAC discussed the
abortion procedure and effects it can have on mom and baby.
Through that discussion, Shakela found the strength to choose life.
"When I felt I was by myself" she said, "PAC was there. They
were reaching out to me, making sure I was OK." Shakela is
raising two beautiful girls in the company of her family, surrounded
by cousins and loved ones.

From the desk of Lisa Regan,
PAC Executive Director

Dear Friends,

As we enter our season of Thanksgiving, I am reflecting on the enormous
blessings of this year: Our own state of Georgia, standing up for life. More
women in our clinic choosing life than ever before. The opportunity to reach
college students, expand our services and double our number of parenting class
students in our 3-clinic operation. The faithful in our archdiocese are responding
to the momentum, supporting our mission and wrapping arms around our
clients with a fiery passion.

Praise God for our successful Arise, Evening for Life fundraising gala! It was truly a celebratory evening
featuring our client, Derrykah, who chose life in the face of uncertainty and doubt. We thank Derrykah for
her courage and strength and for allowing us to share her story. We thank Shakela, our client featured in
this newsletter, who was able to see God’s plan despite fear and lack of support from her partner. We can
learn so much from these women and all our brave clients. I am grateful for them, and for all of you, who
support our clinic and show up for life. Watching God’s plan unfold before our eyes is the greatest blessing
of all.

I encourage you to come for a tour of one of our clinics this holiday season, on Fridays in December. We
love to share about how your faith in action is blessing generations of families. God bless you this
Thanksgiving and always.

For Life,

Lisa Regan, Executive Director

LIFE Act Updates

Since the LIFE Act was enacted in July, the constant question PAC employees have been asked is "how is
this affecting Pregnancy Aid Clinic?" While the mission of PAC doesn't change, the LIFE Act has affected
PAC in a few ways:

1.Women in unexpected pregnancy situations are more prone to make rash decisions. The
majority of abortions are being completed at home through the abortion pill, and the pill has become
easier to access through telehealth.

2.Women are seeking care sooner than ever. With the short 6-week timeframe of legal action,
women call PAC as early as 4 weeks pregnant, seeking care, answers and options.

3.Women and their partners are in need of support. As more women are influenced by the law
and choosing to parent, more resources and support are needed.

Regardless of the laws, PAC's mission remains clear: to compassionately provide services and care to
every woman that walks through the clinic doors. PAC has responded to the needs of women, given new
abortion restrictions, offering early ultrasounds and pregnancy tests and expanding hours. The mission is
clear and PAC is growing to serve the need.

PATH Military Programs

By Jody Duffy, RN
Military and Veterans Program Coordinator for PATH

As a young Army officer, I was faced with an unintended pregnancy.
A fellow officer and friend, who thought he was helping me,
arranged an abortion. I had tunnel vision. I was single, newly
commissioned and in the Army. I had that abortion. My life
would never be the same. I later met and married another Army
officer. I carried that shame, grief, self-hatred, anger, and spiritual
emptiness into that marriage. Almost 19 years later the dam broke
and I needed help to process and heal from that past abortion.
That help came from Post Abortion Treatment and Healing (PATH).
It changed my life. I became a volunteer with PATH and began
leading Abortion Healing Bible Studies and Retreats.

While working with PATH, I started reaching out to other veterans
and invited them to attend our Rachel’s Vineyard retreats. I began
to see a great need for abortion healing among military men and
women. There are more than 2 million female veterans in the
United States, and over 200,000 women in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Due to pressures of military life, many pregnancies are terminated. One study revealed a 50% greater
rate of unintended pregnancy in the military than in the general population.

A pattern of emotional symptoms can occur after an abortion which bear a striking resemblance to
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Military members and veterans we have worked with have
experienced low self-esteem, sadness, guilt, shame, inability to concentrate, and ineffective job

performance. Behavioral manifestations include substance
abuse, promiscuity, eating disorders, and withdrawing
from family, friends and co-workers. Spiritually, many of
these women found it difficult to believe God could forgive
them.

Two years ago, I was encouraged to provide
Abortion Healing programs exclusively for our
military, veterans, and their families. Since then we
have run five Bible Studies and two Rachel’s
Vineyard retreats for those affiliated with the
military.

It is important that PATH is here for our veterans and
military. I am proud to have served my country. I am even
prouder to serve those who have served. PATH is the only
program in the country that provides Abortion Healing
programs exclusively to our military. With your continued
help, our work can continue and grow stronger.

An Evening for Life
benefiting pregnancy aid clinic

Susan and Mike Petrik
represented Mary Our
Queen, ARISE Gold Sponsor

Thank you
for your

passion and
support!

The PAC Board of Directors were in attendance.

September 25, 2022
Delta Flight Museum

Archbishop Gregory J.
Hartmayer, OFM, Conv.

led the blessing.

Keynote speaker Jason Jones
delivered a compelling testimony.

Client Derrykah brought her son Shai.

Why We Give

Finding new ways to give back

Alison and Aaron Powers’ commitment to Catholic Social Justice
has been constant throughout their marriage despite job changes,
a move to a new city and a growing family. As monthly donors for
PAC since 2019, the question was never if they will give, but how.
“Before we had children, we could donate time and talent,” Alison
says.

Alison is a Technical Program Manager at the Prior to their move to Atlanta, Alison was board chairman for the
Georgia Tech Research Institute. Aaron and Dorothy Day House in Memphis, where she supported pregnant
Alison have three children, Joey, 6, Simon, 3 women and families in need of transitional housing. “When we
and Genevieve, 1, and are members of the moved to Atlanta, I embarked on a mission to find a local
Cathedral at Christ the King Catholic Church. resource to continue our support for women and families.
PAC is grateful for their monthly support! After touring PAC, I knew this was the place. PAC is doing
the work that families need." Alison points to the importance of
countering worldly noise and pressures that short-change the
value of life. "I’m teaching my children that every baby in a
mommy’s tummy is a baby loved by God, and a perfect life. Living
out my faith makes me feel like I’m not crazy, despite what I hear all
around me. In the end, life wins!”

Welcoming New Staff

PAC has been blessed to grow the team! In
the past few months, (Pictured left to right),
PAC has welcomed a new Nurse Manager,
Jessica Montague, a Client Advocate, Emma
McClure, and a Client Advocate and
Outreach Specialist, Mary Grace Germain.

$50,000 Match Gift Challenge

The mission and operations at PAC would be impossible without a medical team.
PAC's qualified nurses and ultrasound technologists provide pregnancy tests,
ultrasounds, medically accurate options information, prenatal education and STI
testing and treatment. Our medical staff provide these invaluable services to
support women and families, now five days per week in all three clinics.

This year, we’ve been blessed with a $50,000 grant from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta,
to help fund medical staffing. With your help, we can match that grant for continued expansion of our
programs. We need you to help us meet the need for pregnancy medical services in Metro Atlanta. Can we count
on your support? Take the challenge today by donating on our website at pregnancyaidclinic.com/2022match

Thanks to our recent supporters:

Thanks so much to local parishes hosting PAC Drive fundraisers:

St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church, Roswell
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, Brookhaven
Transfiguration Catholic Church, Marietta

If you are interested in hosting a PAC drive, please go to:
www.pregnancyaidclinic.com/plan-a-baby-bottle

Much gratitude goes out to: Thanks to our
sponsors
The churches, schools and organizations that supported
us by hosting baby supply drives:
BNSF Logitics, LLC
Knights of Columbus 10632 at St. Andrew
Knights of Columbus 11458 at St. Gabriel
Knights of Columbus 12942 at St. Brendan
Knights of Columbus 8081 at Holy Trinity
St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church
Holy Redeemer Catholic School
Riordan Gatwood's Gold Award Project, Holy Spirit
Catholic Church Girl Scout Troop 25309
Biking for Babies - $4,000 Grant

Thank you to all who donate via our Amazon wish lists that
support PATH retreats and our Baby Boutique. If you'd like to
donate via Amazon, please visit:
PATH retreat donations:
bit.ly/PATHwishlist
PAC Baby Boutique donations:
bit.ly/PACwishlist

Listen to Did you know that The Quest offers short reflections called Pro-Life Minutes?

Quite literally 60 seconds, these powerful moments are served up as reminders that every life
matters. Do you have a minute for God's message about the sanctity of life?

Reflections can be found here: thequestatlanta.com/pro-life-minutes

Pregnancy Aid Clinic
PO Box 92
Roswell, GA 30077

OUR MISSION:

Operating from the Catholic belief in the sanctity of life, PAC compassionately delivers services and programs created to lift up women, men
and families during moments of uncertainty or grief, through a journey designed to reveal their own dignity and claim their own future.



Upcoming Events

Dec 1: PATH Virtual Rosary on ZOOM
Wednesdays at Noon: Lunch and Learn at PAC Atlanta

for more info email Courtney at [email protected]

Open Houses: Fridays Noon to 2PM
Dec 2: Forest Park
Dec 9: Atlanta
Dec 16: Roswell

"They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

-Lamentations 3:23