GUEST POST: When I stood on the steps of the Supreme Court the day Roe v. Wade was reversed, I felt compelled to make a difference in my rural Northern California community — but as a 16-year-old college student, I wasn’t sure exactly how. Upon researching volunteer opportunities at pregnancy resource centers (PRC) in my town, I was disappointed to find that there weren’t any within a 100-mile radius, the closest one being in a different state. Empowered by Students for Life of America (SFLA), here’s how I helped change that:  

After realizing the need within my community, I began to pray for guidance and support to help  local mothers — and two months later, I received a letter out of the blue from a lady in a neighboring town who unknowingly shared the same vision. She wanted to start a PRC in our area. I was both overjoyed and surprised at hearing this, and I immediately reached out to her.  

We got to work right away, and it was a whirlwind.  

In less than a year, we faced legal battles, established a 501C3 nonprofit organization, appointed a board of directors, and created an advising committee. When this was all done, we hosted our very first fundraising event. More than 160 people showed up to our little venue, and the amount of support was overwhelming. We could never have imagined the amount of financial support we would gain from this little event as it brought in more than $280,000 in a single night. In the days that followed, donations continued to come in, and we are still receiving more today. 

Ultimately, we collected a total of nearly $400,000, which was enough to purchase a building without acquiring any debt (though there will be numerous expenses in the future). The building was purchased just last week and is now in escrow.  

The support we received in my tiny rural community in California was unimaginable and ultimately- a miracle. Yet when you take big steps of faith like starting a PRC with pure intentions — ours being a strong desire to support women and save preborn lives — it’s clear to see that you will succeed.  

Our movement cannot function without dedicated individuals who channel their passion into hard work and action so I encourage you to consider what you could accomplish by taking the next step and putting your words into action. I am proof that even a 16-year-old can inspire people and make a difference up to the point of raising almost $400,000 for the defense of life…so how are you going to change your own community? 

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