The June firebombing of a Buffalo, New York, pregnancy help medical clinic by pro-abortion terrorists has had an effect - but probably not one anticipated by the arsonists - as there has been an outpouring of support for the center.
Pregnancy Help News spoke with Isaac Harden, Communications director for CompassCare Pregnancy Services about the flood of kindness and assistance that has washed over the pregnancy center since June.
"The church from across the nation rallied in support of CompassCare,” Harden said.
In addition, CompassCare has not missed a beat in serving clients, and the response of support from all sides was immediate.
“The local church, essentially hours after the attack, provided multiple locations from which CompassCare was able to continue serving patients,” Harden said. “All patients in the Buffalo region were either rescheduled or re-routed to Rochester, and amazingly CompassCare was serving patients at full capacity in a different Buffalo location the very next day.”
“Nearly a hundred volunteers came out to help salvage materials from the firebombed office to have it ready it for renovation by the following week," he said.
Harden said it would be difficult to list all the ways CompassCare’s supporters stepped up to rebuild the office, and the response has been and continues to be a testament to faith.
“Literally no need was left unfulfilled,” he told Pregnancy Help News.
“God brought just the right people at just the right times, giving each one incredible generosity and endurance,” said Harden. “Because of all this, despite increased threats by Jane’s Revenge and death threats made against CompassCare, the church rebuilt the Buffalo office in a Nehemiah-like 52 days!”
“It was such a great testimony for the community and nation, which continues to this day," Harden exclaimed.
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Even before the firebombing, CompassCare had begun the process of increasing security at the facilities, Harden said. There were some very generous gifts made by donors to equip all CompassCare facilities with a full suite of security systems using a wide range of technology to ensure the safety of the patients, staff, and facilities, he said.
Other donors contributed specifically for the rebuilding costs.
Radio host Eric Metaxas asked his listeners to donate to CompassCare on his birthday, Glenn Beck also encouraged it, and DayStar Television Network also contributed.
On top of these, hundreds, possibly thousands, of individuals gave what they could to not only rebuild but expand the office by 30% to reach and serve even more women as abortion tourism ramps-up post-Roe.
Meanwhile, there is now apparent FBI involvement in finding the perpetrators of the vandalism and arson, which caused half-a-million dollars in damage and injured two firefighters.
On November 14, the FBI notified Rev. Jim Harden, CompassCare CEO, that a $25,000 reward was posted for information leading to the arrest of arsonists. The FBI also released an 18-second compilation of CompassCare’s video surveillance of the attack, edited in both content and length from the original.
“FBI Buffalo is seeking the public’s help to identify the individuals responsible for the arson of the CompassCare Pregnancy Services Center at 1230 Eggert Road, Amherst, New York, on June 7, 2022,” the FBI's press release states.
The FBI published more photos and descriptions of the perpetrators on its Most Wanted web page and stated that those responsible could be charged with a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, or FACE Act. FACE has typically been used against pro-life activists.
Rev. Harden said that the $25k reward treats the attack as an isolated event, and that were the FBI serious about finding the perpetrators it would offer a $25K reward for each of attacks on pro-life organizations.
He remained skeptical about the FBI’s efforts.
“Let’s not be too hasty to sing the praises of the FBI," Rev. Harden said, pointing out that the FBI posting came five months after the pregnancy center attack.
For information on responding to the FBI posting on the CompassCare attack, click HERE. To send the FBI a tip on this or another attack, click HERE.
