NEWS PROVIDED BY
Real Alternatives
Sept. 6, 2022

HARRISBURG, Penn., Sept. 6, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- The nation's first taxpayer-funded pregnancy and parenting support program was recognized by Fox & Friends for its leadership in assisting pregnant moms in need. Rachael Campos-Duffy interviewed Real Alternatives President & CEO, Kevin I. Bagatta, about the 27 year-old Pennsylvania program that provides life-affirming support to women in an unexpected pregnancy.

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6309197816112#sp=show-clips

The program provides a counselor to assist a pregnant woman from the moment of conception through 12 months after the birth of her baby. Funding service providers consisting of 77 Catholic Charities, Pregnancy Support Centers, Maternity Homes, Adoption Agencies, the statewide program has provided services to over 339,500 women at 1.8 million office visits to date.

The idea to fund community agencies that promote childbirth rather than abortion was the brain child of Governor Robert Casey, a democrat, and State Representative Joe Pitts, a republican. Governor Casey shared the vision of the program in a speech at the program's first Awards Banquet. He said, "Our business is to fight the poison of hopelessness with love!"

Bagatta was asked about the counselor's approach when a woman first enters the program. "The first and most important thing [the counselors] do is listen," he said. "Listen and meet her where she is — ask her what the stressors are, what her pressures are — and then we help her help herself."

As a tax-payer funded program, Real Alternatives takes seriously its responsibility to be good stewards of the $7.263 million a year program. It provides caring client support, high accountability and transparency, maximum performance and very low administrative costs. Besides perfect Certified Public Accountant audits, Real Alternatives has been recognized numerous times in its history. It earned the Seal of Excellence three times from the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations; nominated twice for innovation by the Central Pennsylvania Business Journal; and awarded the Gold Seal for Transparency by Guidestar.org.

SOURCE Real Alternatives

CONTACT: Real Alternatives Public Affiairs, [email protected]