HARRISBURG – Amid the ongoing conversation occurring in Pennsylvania and the United States surrounding health services for pregnant women, state Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) yesterday spoke with Pastor Jay Gilbert and his wife, Tiffany Gilbert, founders of Voices for the Unborn Pregnancy Center, to discuss their organization’s mission, work and impact.
“It was a pleasure to sit down with the Gilberts and talk about the inspiring work that Voices for the Unborn is doing,” Ward said. “Their unwavering passion for mothers, babies and families shone through in the numerous ways they assist and support so many pregnant women in need.”
Voices for the Unborn started in spring 2021 as an expansion to the Gilberts’ ministry, Another Level Ministries, located in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, out of a desire to defend and promote life through education and empowerment.
Through partnerships with multiple Pittsburgh organizations, Voices for the Unborn assists in the care and development from a wholistic perspective of those seeking their services. The services are confidential, free of charge, and include pregnancy testing, medical referrals, counseling, material assistance, post-abortion support, parental education and training classes, adoption referrals, fatherhood mentoring, and an economic self-reliance program for parents and grandparents. The organization’s work with mothers and families helps to promote positive multigenerational community change.
“Every day, pregnancy support centers across Pennsylvania are joining with Voices for the Unborn in its mission to bring help and hope to so many vulnerable women and babies,” Ward said. “As chair of the Senate Maternal and Infant Health Caucus, I was able to tour several centers across the state and was blown away by the lifesaving support they provided to so many people. Vulnerable women across the commonwealth need and depend on the tremendous work that these pregnancy centers do, and we as policy makers need to support them.”
Voices for the Unborn is one of many pregnancy support centers located across Pennsylvania. These centers provide support such as material assistance, parenting and life skills education, counseling, and referral services free of charge to pregnant women and women with children, who often are low-income earners or in urban areas. Some provide additional services such as residency halls, opportunities for higher education and job placement.
There are more than 120 pregnancy support centers in Pennsylvania that serve more than 60,000 clients per year. In 2019 alone, centers gave out more than 91,000 baby items, including more than 1,250 free packs of diapers, more than 45,000 free new and used baby clothes outfits, more than 550 free new car seats and more than 700 free new and used strollers. In addition, more than 6,500 clients participated in parenting education classes.
Residents can follow Ward on Facebook at Facebook.com/SenJudyWard and Twitter @SenatorJWard for news about legislation and the 30th Senate District. Contact information for her district offices and other information can be found on her website at SenatorJudyWard.com, and constituents also can sign up for her e-newsletter at SenatorJudyWard.com/enewsletters.
Contact: Nathan Akers
717-787-2421