New outreach in Prescott aims to save lives

When they saw the “For Rent” sign in the window just two doors down from Planned Parenthood in Prescott, Donna Basore and Diane Duncan knew it was an opportunity to save the lives of unborn babies.

The two women, participants in last spring’s 40 Days for Life prayer campaign, spoke with pastors of nearby parishes to see if they would help them rent the empty, 600-square-foot office. Basore and Duncan hoped to transform it into a place women could turn to instead of Planned Parenthood.

Within a week, the pastors of St. Catherine Labouré in Chino Valley, Sacred Heart in Prescott and St. Germaine in Prescott Valley each agreed to financially back the project and Life Connections was born. Pro-life advocates have been working alongside Basore and Duncan for last four months, getting the resource center up and running.

Basore, the respect life coordinator for the tri-city area —Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley – said she and Duncan are formulating teams of volunteers and are looking for people who are willing to raise money, pray, work as client advocates, and spread the word about Life Connections.

The new center operates the same days as the nearby Planned Parenthood — Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday — but starts its day a half hour earlier. On Wednesdays, when Planned Parenthood is closed, Life Connections hosts a prayer meeting.

Duncan, who began working with the Rachel’s Vineyard retreats about 10 years ago, said Life Connections will help spare women the grief that follows choosing abortion.

“God put me into this position on the front lines trying to prevent them from making that mistake,” Duncan said.

Life Connections offers free pregnancy tests, peer counseling and referrals to various local agencies and organizations that provide diapers, baby food, car seats and other items and services women and their babies need. The focus is on getting women the help and resources necessary to continue their pregnancy and take care of their child.

“We have a ton of educational resources and videos to watch,” Duncan said. The center also helps women who have had abortions to find healing and provides referrals to pro-life doctors in the area willing to work with pregnant women.

In setting up Life Connections, Duncan and Basore sought the advice of Kay Allen, director of 1st Way Pregnancy Center in Phoenix.

“Prescott has a very active Planned Parenthood,” Allen said. “1st Way receives at least one call per month from women there.”

With Life Connections in close proximity to the abortion clinic, Allen hopes the women she’s been hearing from will get the help they need right there in Prescott.

Mike Phelan, director of the office of Marriage and Respect Life Issues for the Diocese of Phoenix, said he’s pleased that Life Connections will be providing information, support and referrals to women considering abortion.

“Anytime — and especially when we provide that in a proximate way to the abortions mills — it’s a tremendous, practical thing,” Phelan said. “When women have an alternative that’s truly helpful, many of them choose life.”