Jean Marie was trafficked 
from age 2 to 29 when she was rescued by a pregnancy help center. Not only did the pregnancy center’s help enable her to choose life for her son, it was so significant that she was rescued from 20 years of abuse and drug addiction.
Through pregnancy help support, Jean Marie has received an education, an associate’s degree and now directs the Branches Pregnancy Resource Center.
Jean Marie testified against a proposed law in Vermont which would restrict pregnancy help centers in their advertising and ability to distribute information. Unfortunately, that law was enacted and it is one of the cases Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is bringing in their efforts under its We CARE campaign.
The We CARE program was established to defend pregnancy help centers under attack since the Dobbs decision in 2022.
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Government officials across the United States are targeting pro-life pregnancy centers and their life-affirming work. ADF reports seeing this on the litigation front in Illinois, Vermont, Washington, California, New Jersey, New York, and Colorado. Additionally, ADF says, numerous states are contemplating anti-pregnancy center measures.
This was the impetus for the establishment of the We CARE campaign. It aims to help pro-life advocates understand how they can support pregnancy help centers and defend the work the centers do in their communities amid this time when governments are openly harassing them.
ADF has provided legal assistance to 2,000 pregnancy centers and been involved in numerous Supreme Court victories, including representing the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) in the 2018 landmark Supreme Court victory in NIFLA v. Becerra.
The We CARE Campaign includes information on:
- The truth about pregnancy centers and Planned Parenthood
- Pregnancy care center lawsuits on Abortion pill reversal, Free speech, and Employment
- The CARE Act: a law to protect pregnancy centers and which states are considering anti-pregnancy care center measures (info attached)
- How you can get involved and advocate for the rights of pregnancy centers
ADF filed the Vermont lawsuit in July 2023 on behalf NIFLA and two centers.
Violations of Vermont’s anti-pregnancy help statute, which could be something as simple as naming a center “The Women’s Center,” threatens pregnancy help centers with legal action. A center may potentially could net fines up to $10,000 for each incident of what the state’s attorney general deems a “misleading” act or statement.
In June of this year a federal district court allowed ADF’s lawsuit to proceed.
ADF has been granted by a federal district court in Vermont to bring a lawsuit challenging the state law. Vermont officials have unconstitutionally restricted PHC’s speech.
In addition to Vermont, ADF has filed suits in New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Washington as part of the WE Care initiative.
On ADF’s page defending the work of pregnancy centers, Jean Marie explains that her center saved her life.
“I am living proof that pregnancy centers love, serve, and commit ourselves to the men, women, and children of our communities who need our help,” she said.
In addition to threats, vandalism, and attacks, pregnancy help centers have also become the target of smear campaigns by the abortion lobby and abortion activists, ADF legal counsel Julia Payne Koon said on ADF’s Truth About Pregnancy Centers page.
“As pro-abortion activists continue to spread lies about pregnancy centers, it’s important to know the facts: pregnancy centers provide necessary, life-affirming care to women, children, and families in need,” Koon said.
Tweet This: “Pregnancy centers are worth fighting for.”
“Pregnancy centers are worth fighting for,” she said. “They provide much needed care for women and families, and they empower expectant mothers to make life-affirming choices for both them and their children. The government has no business steering women away from life-affirming care.”
More information on the We CARE Campaign is available HERE.
