From its inception, Focus on the Family has been guided by a pro-life mindset. Founder Dr. James Dobson frequently highlighted the issue of abortion on the ministry’s earliest radio broadcasts and championed the cause of those with special needs on numerous occasions. At that time – the late 1970s – the “pro-life movement” was largely seen as a Catholic cause. But Focus helped lead the way in making the sanctity of life front and center in the evangelical community.
Pro-Life Booklets
Today, Focus provides more than 600,000 free educational booklets annually to pregnancy resource centers, medical clinics and maternity homes to counsel and educate women who are at-risk for abortion. These resources are available in English and Spanish, and are filled with medically accurate, life-affirming information.
Wait No More
Launched in 2008, Wait No More is our partnership with local churches and adoption agencies to raise awareness and recruit families for kids waiting in foster care. There are thousands of children who have never known the stability and love of a forever family, yet as a result of our Wait No More events in cities nationwide, more than 3,400 families to date have initiated the process of adoption from foster care.
We’re committed to not only recruiting more adoptive families through Wait No More, but also equipping churches to support those families in the challenges they will face. Even for those who don’t feel called to adopt, there is a role to play. For more about orphan care, visit ICareAboutOrphans.org.
Consistently Pro-Life
Every human being is made in the image of God, which means each person possesses inherent dignity and immeasurable worth. That’s why we advocate tirelessly for the protection of human life from conception until natural death. We champion the rights of the most vulnerable — the preborn, the elderly, and orphans without forever homes. Our Dignity and Sanctity of Every Human Life resource guide addresses those issues in depth and considers how Christ’s command to “love your neighbor” (Mark 12:31) should inform our approach to other vital issues as well. It equips readers on concerns relating to special needs, human trafficking, racism, poverty and preventable disease, prison ministry, and immigrants and refugees. (Get the guide at FocusOnTheFamily.com/SOHLguide.)
Our world has changed in many ways over the past 40 years, and not necessarily for the better. Human beings continue to treat one another as commodities or inconveniences rather than as precious, unique souls bearing the image of their Creator. And that’s why Focus on the Family continues to stand as a voice for life.
Super Bowl Commercial
Another pro-life effort we’re proud of is our successful (and controversial) 2010 Super Bowl commercial featuring quarterback Tim Tebow and his mom, Pam. It was a viral sensation, but it also had a deeper message: that life in the womb is sacred and worthy of protection. Not long after the big game, we heard from a young lady named Susan who had decided to keep her baby after seeing that lighthearted 30-second spot. It was a powerful reminder that God can work miracles – even during a football game!
Option Ultrasound
Launched in 2004, our Option Ultrasound Program provides ultrasound machines and sonography training for pregnancy resource centers around the country. These clinics offer confidential and compassionate counseling, ultrasound services and community care to help women take their first steps toward a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Research shows that if a woman who is considering an abortion has the opportunity to view an ultrasound image of her baby, she is far more likely to choose life for her child.
We placed our first ultrasound machine in a clinic in Clinton, Iowa, in 2004; today there are more than 700 Option Ultrasound machines in clinics across every state in the nation. As of the beginning of 2017, we estimate that more than 382,000 babies have been saved as a result of this outreach!
