To everyone who reads our little blog, we are so sorry for the absence recently! We had a crazy week a little while ago that left us tapped for energy and ideas. It is a lame excuse, we know it, we apologize. Truly, we are recommitted to bringing you the whats what of western Pennsylvania reproductive health news. In January, we will have great reporting from a new super secret contributor to boot! Exciting stuff.
For now, here is an excellent and incredibly funny video from Nellie McKay. I saw it this morning on Feministing.com and had to share. Back before I joined up with Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, I worked for a small nonprofit in D.C. called FAIRFund.org. Nellie was on our board. We worked on ending human trafficking in the U.S. and Eastern Europe. It was an honor to have her on our team. So, without further jabbering...
Ladies and Gentlemen...NELLIE MCKAY!
17 December 2009
20 November 2009
Road Trip!
As many of you know Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania, in coalition with many local organizations, is planning a trip to Washington DC on December 2nd. We need to bring thousands of supporters from across the country to the nation's capital to show the overwhelming support for women's health! To do this, we need your help.
Join us in Washington, DC on Wednesday December 2nd for a day of lobbying and visibility to pass a health care reform bill that protects women and comprehensive reproductive health services. The tentative agenda is as follows:
6 a.m.: Leave Pittsburgh. We will be renting passenger vans and providing breakfast to those joining us. If anyone remembers the ride to March for Women's Lives a few years back, the ride down is fun and inspiring! There is nothing like rejuvenating our resolve with like minded supporters. We will also host a mini-briefing once the coffee kicks in :)
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Lobby with members of house. We will be asking for meetings with Congressman Doyle and Altmire. We will make additional meetings based on the constituents that participate in the event. If you are a constituent of a different congressperson, please let me know! We are happy (excited, even) to make additional meetings.
12 p.m to 2 p.m.: Coalition press conference in Upper Senate Park with Members of Congress where we will present the petition signatures we have collected against Stupak-Pitts language in the health care bill. If you would like to sign the online petition visit http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/healthreform/index.htm. If you would like a hard copy of the petition, contact me and I will send it right over to you.
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Additional meetings with members of the house and visits to Senators Specter and Casey.
4 p.m to 8 p.m.: Drive back to Pittsburgh
Our strategy at these meetings is to educate and persuade our representatives to oppose Stupak-Pitts language in the final health care reform bill. This is a challenging but rewarding task. One I am sure we are up to.
For more information on the Stupak-Pitts amendment please visit http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/. Please forward this email to your networks. The broader our range of support, the more successful we will prove to be.
Join us in Washington, DC on Wednesday December 2nd for a day of lobbying and visibility to pass a health care reform bill that protects women and comprehensive reproductive health services. The tentative agenda is as follows:
6 a.m.: Leave Pittsburgh. We will be renting passenger vans and providing breakfast to those joining us. If anyone remembers the ride to March for Women's Lives a few years back, the ride down is fun and inspiring! There is nothing like rejuvenating our resolve with like minded supporters. We will also host a mini-briefing once the coffee kicks in :)
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Lobby with members of house. We will be asking for meetings with Congressman Doyle and Altmire. We will make additional meetings based on the constituents that participate in the event. If you are a constituent of a different congressperson, please let me know! We are happy (excited, even) to make additional meetings.
12 p.m to 2 p.m.: Coalition press conference in Upper Senate Park with Members of Congress where we will present the petition signatures we have collected against Stupak-Pitts language in the health care bill. If you would like to sign the online petition visit http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/healthreform/index.htm. If you would like a hard copy of the petition, contact me and I will send it right over to you.
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Additional meetings with members of the house and visits to Senators Specter and Casey.
4 p.m to 8 p.m.: Drive back to Pittsburgh
Our strategy at these meetings is to educate and persuade our representatives to oppose Stupak-Pitts language in the final health care reform bill. This is a challenging but rewarding task. One I am sure we are up to.
For more information on the Stupak-Pitts amendment please visit http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/. Please forward this email to your networks. The broader our range of support, the more successful we will prove to be.
10 November 2009
Aftermath of the Stupak Attack
So, let's start by calling it what it is. Saying that what Rep. Bart Stupak attached to the health care reform bill was an 'amendment' is misleading. He did not just propose amending the bill, he dramatically reduced the impact of the bill for a certain class of Americans. As is typical, the ladies got the shaft. Let's agree right now not call it the "Stupak Amendment" and go with the "Stupak Attack". I think that more accurately names the atrocity that he delivered to American women on Saturday night.
Now that we have that out of the way, on to the impact of the Stupak Attack on women's health care. Primarily, the attack violates one of the underlying principle of health care reform. That no one will lose the benefits they currently have. The truth is that under the attack, millions of women would lose the private coverage for abortion services that they already have and millions more would be prohibited from buying it even with their own money if the insurance carrier is part of the new exchange. Charming.
The Stupak Attack prohibits any coverage of abortion in the public option AND prohibits anyone receiving an federal subsidy from purchasing a health insurance plan that includes abortion services. It also prohibits private health insurance plans from offering through the exchange a plan that includes abortion coverage to both subsidized and unsubsidized individuals. The only way to get around this hoopla is to purchase a separate 'abortion rider' which not only does NOT EXIST in the world of health insurance but is completely contrary to the nature of abortion procedures. Women do not plan for an unplanned pregnancy. I hate to say it but...duh.
Realistically, the actual effect of the Stupak Attack is to ban abortion coverage across the entire exchange, for women with both subsidized and unsubsidized coverage. Current restrictions on access to abortion under the Hyde Amendment (also due for a re-naming) would expand to include women considered to be middle class. So basically, unless you have your own private emergency abortion services fund or are wealth to begin with, you are out of luck.
Obviously, we are feeling pretty darn bitter about the way this went down. We do still have some hope to spread around. The senate has yet to release their version of the bill. Here in PA, that means a lot. We have an ex-republican pro-choice Senator and an anti-choice Democrat. Call them both! Call them now! If you have a personal story about abortion coverage, write it down and send it to them. Write a letter to the editor calling out the representatives who decided a handful of Catholic bishops are more valuable then 50% of the population. Call those guys too. Let them hear your disgust, your anger, and your disappointment. And right before you hang up the phone, let them know that if you can't count on them then they certainly can't count on you.
Now that we have that out of the way, on to the impact of the Stupak Attack on women's health care. Primarily, the attack violates one of the underlying principle of health care reform. That no one will lose the benefits they currently have. The truth is that under the attack, millions of women would lose the private coverage for abortion services that they already have and millions more would be prohibited from buying it even with their own money if the insurance carrier is part of the new exchange. Charming.
The Stupak Attack prohibits any coverage of abortion in the public option AND prohibits anyone receiving an federal subsidy from purchasing a health insurance plan that includes abortion services. It also prohibits private health insurance plans from offering through the exchange a plan that includes abortion coverage to both subsidized and unsubsidized individuals. The only way to get around this hoopla is to purchase a separate 'abortion rider' which not only does NOT EXIST in the world of health insurance but is completely contrary to the nature of abortion procedures. Women do not plan for an unplanned pregnancy. I hate to say it but...duh.
Realistically, the actual effect of the Stupak Attack is to ban abortion coverage across the entire exchange, for women with both subsidized and unsubsidized coverage. Current restrictions on access to abortion under the Hyde Amendment (also due for a re-naming) would expand to include women considered to be middle class. So basically, unless you have your own private emergency abortion services fund or are wealth to begin with, you are out of luck.
Obviously, we are feeling pretty darn bitter about the way this went down. We do still have some hope to spread around. The senate has yet to release their version of the bill. Here in PA, that means a lot. We have an ex-republican pro-choice Senator and an anti-choice Democrat. Call them both! Call them now! If you have a personal story about abortion coverage, write it down and send it to them. Write a letter to the editor calling out the representatives who decided a handful of Catholic bishops are more valuable then 50% of the population. Call those guys too. Let them hear your disgust, your anger, and your disappointment. And right before you hang up the phone, let them know that if you can't count on them then they certainly can't count on you.
07 November 2009
EMERGENCY!!! We need your phone call right now!
What follows is an urgent message from Cecile Richards, CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Please, please, please pick up your phone right now and call your representative. A handful of bishops should not determine the fate of women in the US. Let your representatives know that we elected them, they answer to us! Let us know if you make the call! I know its Saturday morning and as alarmist and extreme as this is going to sound, its true...THE FATE OF WOMEN'S ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE RESTS IN YOUR HANDS!!! Pick up the phone.
-----
I’m writing to you with an urgent request.
Late yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops met with leaders in the House of Representatives in their bid to eliminate women’s access to abortion care under health care reform.
We have just received news that their efforts are working, and Representative Bart Stupak has introduced an amendment to the health care reform bill that will result in women losing health care coverage for abortion. We urgently need you, and your friends and family, to do two things:
Call your representative at 202-730-9001 and ask (him or her) to reject the Stupak amendment that will remove abortion coverage from health care reform.
If the bishops and their anti-choice partners in the House succeed, they’ll permanently alter health care in America, even taking away benefits from women that they have today. The bishops want to effectively eliminate abortion coverage in both private plans and the public option. We simply cannot stand for such a discriminatory, mean-spirited attack on women.
It’s a chilling ultimatum: eliminate choice for millions of women, or the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will do all they can to kill health care reform. This is a true crisis for American women, and we need you to act now.
Call your representative at 202-730-9001 and tell him or her to reject this attack on women’s health — and then forward this message to your friends, your family, everyone you know and ask them to do the same (and don’t forget to post the news to Facebook, Twitter — everywhere).
We need you now, more than ever. Thank you for standing strong with us in the face of this vicious last-minute attack on women. We will keep you posted on what’s next.
Sincerely,
Cecile
05 November 2009
Pittsburgh Medical Safety Zone Ordinance Modified
It has been a rough week for us here at PPWP.We have had a lot of questions about the Third Circuit's ruling concerning our buffer zone ordinance. It has not been "struck down" as was implied in the Post-Gazette and Associated Press articles but modified so that we must choose either the 15 ft buffer zone or the 8 ft bubble zone. We aren't happy with that either but at least both halves of the ordinance were deemed to be constitutional. Just not together unfortunately. I will never understand why the right to harass and intimidate is more important than the right of patient access to health care. Below, is PPWP's press release concerning the matter. We will be updating as we get more information.
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania is troubled and disappointed by the recent ruling of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit which effectively reduced the protection of women seeking out medical care at family planning centers in
The case, Brown v. City of Pittsburgh, was a constitutional challenge by an anti-choice protester against
While the court determined that both zones are content-neutral and do not violate the Constitution, they concluded that the combination of the two zones was insufficiently narrowly tailored and that the City could keep one but not both kinds of protective zones. The court remanded the case to the trial judge to permit the City to determine which of the two types of buffer zones it wished to keep.
“The security and privacy of our clients has been greatly enhanced by the Pittsburgh Medical Safety Zone Ordinance” said Kim Evert, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania. “We will continue to work with the city to ensure that patient safety needs are met and are dismayed by the courts decision to weaken these protections.”
29 October 2009
Pro Choice Halloween courtesy of PPNYC!
Halloween is just around the corner and I couldn't resist posting PPNYC's piece on pro choice Halloween costumes! Check out their blog at http://www.unratedunfiltered.com/! Happy Halloween!!!
Nothing to wear on Halloween? Go as one of these pro-choice costumes!
If you’re anything like me, you still don’t have your Halloween costume down. What with all the atrocious costumes out there, we here at PPNYC asked some of our favorite writers for their pro-choice Halloween costume ideas. Check out the list below, or add your own in your comments. And if you end up going as any of these, send in your picture!
From Megan Carpentier, Editor, News & Politics at Air America Media:
Dress normally. Since STDs often can’t be distinguished with the naked eye, it’ll be up to you to tell people what you are.
Dress in pink and carry a pink hula hoop all night: you’re a NuvaRing!
Dress all in copper and put copper pipe cleaners on your head: you’re an IUD!
From the writers at Slate’s Double X blog:
Draw a calendar on your shirt and carry a bongo drum: You’re the Rhythm Method!
Drape ivy over your shoulders and paint a big “F” on your shirt: You’re IVF.
Dress like a baby and attach test tubes to yourself (or drink from them): You’re a Test Tube baby!
Wear all your winter gear and curl into the fetal position whenever possible: You’re a frozen embryo.
From the pro-choice comic Katie Halper:
Wear galoshes and carry an oar: You’re roe v wade
Walk around with a bunch of babies: You’re “abstinence only” sex education
Wear a Trojan helmet and a clear raincoat: you’re a Trojan condom. Alternative: wear a raincoat and put on a name tag that says “birthplace: Troy”
And a few ideas from the PPNYC staff:
Wear all black, but then spell out the word “Damn” on your chest with bright green dental floss: You’re a Dental Dam!
Dress in pink and don a knit cap: You’re a cervical cap!
Wear all black and attach small pink erasers to your outfit – you’re a rubber!
Nothing to wear on Halloween? Go as one of these pro-choice costumes!
If you’re anything like me, you still don’t have your Halloween costume down. What with all the atrocious costumes out there, we here at PPNYC asked some of our favorite writers for their pro-choice Halloween costume ideas. Check out the list below, or add your own in your comments. And if you end up going as any of these, send in your picture!
From Megan Carpentier, Editor, News & Politics at Air America Media:
Dress normally. Since STDs often can’t be distinguished with the naked eye, it’ll be up to you to tell people what you are.
Dress in pink and carry a pink hula hoop all night: you’re a NuvaRing!
Dress all in copper and put copper pipe cleaners on your head: you’re an IUD!
From the writers at Slate’s Double X blog:
Draw a calendar on your shirt and carry a bongo drum: You’re the Rhythm Method!
Drape ivy over your shoulders and paint a big “F” on your shirt: You’re IVF.
Dress like a baby and attach test tubes to yourself (or drink from them): You’re a Test Tube baby!
Wear all your winter gear and curl into the fetal position whenever possible: You’re a frozen embryo.
From the pro-choice comic Katie Halper:
Wear galoshes and carry an oar: You’re roe v wade
Walk around with a bunch of babies: You’re “abstinence only” sex education
Wear a Trojan helmet and a clear raincoat: you’re a Trojan condom. Alternative: wear a raincoat and put on a name tag that says “birthplace: Troy”
And a few ideas from the PPNYC staff:
Wear all black, but then spell out the word “Damn” on your chest with bright green dental floss: You’re a Dental Dam!
Dress in pink and don a knit cap: You’re a cervical cap!
Wear all black and attach small pink erasers to your outfit – you’re a rubber!
28 October 2009
VOTE!
As I am sure some of you are aware, November 3rd is election day this year. Now, historically in an off year election turn out is horrendous. Beyond horrendous: ABYSMAL. I hate to say it, but abysmal turn out means your vote counts that much more. Your piece of the pie is bigger. Your voice is louder and the echo, much greater. This year is no different.
Here in Pittsburgh, we have the opportunity to elect some excellent judicial candidates and, finally, a pro-choice mayor. Now, I'm not going to try and tell you who to vote for. But I am going to point you in the direction of the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates website and ask you, kindly, to check it out.
www.pppavotes.org
Click on the voter guide. Tons of great information, right at your fingertips.
And I'm also going to leave you with this radical video by one of my favorite video bloggers, Jay Smooth. He's my #1 feminist crush. The video is a little dated, but just as important and poignant as the day he uploaded it.
Here in Pittsburgh, we have the opportunity to elect some excellent judicial candidates and, finally, a pro-choice mayor. Now, I'm not going to try and tell you who to vote for. But I am going to point you in the direction of the Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates website and ask you, kindly, to check it out.
www.pppavotes.org
Click on the voter guide. Tons of great information, right at your fingertips.
And I'm also going to leave you with this radical video by one of my favorite video bloggers, Jay Smooth. He's my #1 feminist crush. The video is a little dated, but just as important and poignant as the day he uploaded it.
27 October 2009
Pittsburgh Foundation's Match Day is TOMORROW!
A message from our Development Department! Tomorrow is a great day to give to Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania!
Here is why:
Make a gift of $50 or more to Planned Parenthood of Western PA through PittsburghGives and The
In order to qualify for the match, you must make your gift online via credit card at www.pittsburghgives.org. Matching dollars will be exhausted quickly, so you must be ready to make your gift at 10 am tomorrow. When you are completing your donation at "checkout," you will be notified whether matching funds are still available for your gift.
Demand for health care services is up 34% in our downtown
Your Match Day donation also helps to provide prevention education programming that works throughout the community to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease. For questions regarding making a gift to PPWP please call 412-434-8957 ext. 120.
26 October 2009
Gleecap: Mashup!
Ok kids, we have a lot to cover here. Sue Sylvester in love? Rachel and Puck making out?! The Thong Song?! Really???
Mashup was all about in-congruency. This was summed up best by adorable Emma when she told Will that the two wedding songs Will was trying to mashup would never ever go together even though they are "both great songs." This was a not so veiled allusion to her doomed engagement and Emma and Will made googly eyes at each other while they processed the weight of that statement.
In Glee-kid land, the tables were turned as well. McKinley High's self-proclaimed "It" couple were welcomed to the "new world order" with a slushie facial courtesy of hockey player Karofsky signaling their descent into unpopularity. Desperate to regain their status, they turn to the world's most prim guidance counselor for advice resulting in the pair wearing sunglasses for the rest of the episode in an attempt to look cool. Turns out, the popular kids don't care about their sunglasses. They outcast Quinn and Finn for their association with Glee and Quinn's unplanned pregnancy. Will popularity and Glee ever go together? Not quite yet it seems.
Ken spots Emma and Will in a tangled embrace after Will's spirited performance of the "Thong Song". (What exactly was he doing there? Wasn't he supposed to be teaching her how to dance? Oh, I love the contrived situations they create to show off Matt Morrisson's dance skills. Priceless.) Ken gets back at Mr. Schue by scheduling a mandatory football practice during Glee rehearsal. That's cold Ken! All of the Glee footballers choose Glee except *shocker!*, our hero Finn. He just can't handle being uncool. Ultimately, he gets Ken to relent by performing his own version of the "I have a dream..." speech. Finn has a dream that someday he will live in a world where a guy can play football and sing and dance too. For now, he does.
My favorite sub-plot of this episode is a stone cold tie between Sue Sylvester in love with a slimy news anchor and Rachel and Puck's way too brief romance. Sue catches the eye of the Ron Burgundy wannabe while delivering her segment. And who wouldn't want to be with this woman after she defends gay marriage by saying "I, for one, think intimacy has no place in a marriage. Walked in on my parents once and it was like seeing two walruses wrestling." Sue's love affair resulted in a positive chipper Sue and the best lindy hop between rivals I've ever seen. When Sue and Mr. Schue aren't at each other's throats, they make a great dance team! Inevitably, Sue returns to her old ways with renewed vigor after having her heart broken which is fine by me because her dialogue is gold. Rachel and Puck hook up thanks to a dream Puck had where Rachel appears to him in a white dress and a star of David necklace. They bond over their Jewish heritage and raging hormones. Rachel is still stuck on Finn and tells Puck she can't be with him because he doesn't have the guts to sing a solo. Well, he shows her and comes in the next day with a pitch perfect version of "Sweet Caroline" on the guitar complete with brass instruments. Rachel and Quinn both swoon and Finn is miffed. I just wish the writers would have played this plot out instead of nipping it in the bud in this episode. Who cares if they are hung up on other people? Make them jealous and fall in love! That's how teen romance works!
Other wonderful moments that didn't make the cut:
Mashup was all about in-congruency. This was summed up best by adorable Emma when she told Will that the two wedding songs Will was trying to mashup would never ever go together even though they are "both great songs." This was a not so veiled allusion to her doomed engagement and Emma and Will made googly eyes at each other while they processed the weight of that statement.
In Glee-kid land, the tables were turned as well. McKinley High's self-proclaimed "It" couple were welcomed to the "new world order" with a slushie facial courtesy of hockey player Karofsky signaling their descent into unpopularity. Desperate to regain their status, they turn to the world's most prim guidance counselor for advice resulting in the pair wearing sunglasses for the rest of the episode in an attempt to look cool. Turns out, the popular kids don't care about their sunglasses. They outcast Quinn and Finn for their association with Glee and Quinn's unplanned pregnancy. Will popularity and Glee ever go together? Not quite yet it seems.
Ken spots Emma and Will in a tangled embrace after Will's spirited performance of the "Thong Song". (What exactly was he doing there? Wasn't he supposed to be teaching her how to dance? Oh, I love the contrived situations they create to show off Matt Morrisson's dance skills. Priceless.) Ken gets back at Mr. Schue by scheduling a mandatory football practice during Glee rehearsal. That's cold Ken! All of the Glee footballers choose Glee except *shocker!*, our hero Finn. He just can't handle being uncool. Ultimately, he gets Ken to relent by performing his own version of the "I have a dream..." speech. Finn has a dream that someday he will live in a world where a guy can play football and sing and dance too. For now, he does.
My favorite sub-plot of this episode is a stone cold tie between Sue Sylvester in love with a slimy news anchor and Rachel and Puck's way too brief romance. Sue catches the eye of the Ron Burgundy wannabe while delivering her segment. And who wouldn't want to be with this woman after she defends gay marriage by saying "I, for one, think intimacy has no place in a marriage. Walked in on my parents once and it was like seeing two walruses wrestling." Sue's love affair resulted in a positive chipper Sue and the best lindy hop between rivals I've ever seen. When Sue and Mr. Schue aren't at each other's throats, they make a great dance team! Inevitably, Sue returns to her old ways with renewed vigor after having her heart broken which is fine by me because her dialogue is gold. Rachel and Puck hook up thanks to a dream Puck had where Rachel appears to him in a white dress and a star of David necklace. They bond over their Jewish heritage and raging hormones. Rachel is still stuck on Finn and tells Puck she can't be with him because he doesn't have the guts to sing a solo. Well, he shows her and comes in the next day with a pitch perfect version of "Sweet Caroline" on the guitar complete with brass instruments. Rachel and Quinn both swoon and Finn is miffed. I just wish the writers would have played this plot out instead of nipping it in the bud in this episode. Who cares if they are hung up on other people? Make them jealous and fall in love! That's how teen romance works!
Other wonderful moments that didn't make the cut:
- Kurt's sacrifice for Finn! "Get me to a day spa STAT!"
- Sue's zoot suit!
- Emma's first solo with "I could have danced all night"!
21 October 2009
Health Care Reform Day of Action!
Yesterday, PPWP participated in a national Health Care Reform Day of Action. In the morning Tiffany, Libbi, and I went to University of Pittsburgh and Chatham University campuses to talk to students about there feelings on health care reform. Check out the videos below to see what real folks have to say about Health Care Reform.
What's new in health care: Gardasil for boys!
Women have been reaping the benefits of Gardasil, a Merck vaccine that protects against the 4 most common strains of HPV since its launch in 2006. It has long been thought that there would be no market for Gardasil amongst men as the cancers caused by HPV in men are extremely rare. But c'mon people, not only is the vaccine effective in preventing Genital Warts (the other nasty disease caused by HPV) but certainly men must be interested in the systemic change that would result from vaccination of both sexes! Men are usually silent carriers of HPV and can pass it along to their male and female partners without ever knowing. Can you imagine giving your partner a disease that results in cervical cancer 10 years later??? I would be harboring some serious guilt.
That in mind, Merck has just announced the FDA approval of Gardasil for men. Its recommended use is the same as for women: vaccination between the ages of 9 and 26. So get the word out! If we're all getting vaccinated, we can reduce the occurrence of genital warts and cancers caused by HPV. And that's a beautiful thing! I'm thinking tandem Gardasil vaccinations would make a great first date. Just a thought!
For more info, check out this blurb in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/16/us/politics/AP-US-Merck-Vaccine-Boys.html
That in mind, Merck has just announced the FDA approval of Gardasil for men. Its recommended use is the same as for women: vaccination between the ages of 9 and 26. So get the word out! If we're all getting vaccinated, we can reduce the occurrence of genital warts and cancers caused by HPV. And that's a beautiful thing! I'm thinking tandem Gardasil vaccinations would make a great first date. Just a thought!
For more info, check out this blurb in the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/16/us/politics/AP-US-Merck-Vaccine-Boys.html
19 October 2009
NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia gets the word out on McDonnel's anti-woman agenda
Virginia is my home state so I take this issue to heart. Though I long ago fled the gorgeous Shenandoah Valley of my birth, I certainly don't want a nut case like Robert McDonnell governing it!
Robert McDonnell landed on my radar when his Master's thesis leaked to the public. It's all kinds of wing-nut crazy but the part that has the feminist blogospere buzzing is his contention that working women and feminists are "detrimental" to the family. With this kind of anti-woman policy, he is not fit to govern any state and I hope his opponent R. Creigh Deeds takes him to task for it.
NARAL Pro-Choice VA is doing their part! Check out their clever you tube video!
Robert McDonnell landed on my radar when his Master's thesis leaked to the public. It's all kinds of wing-nut crazy but the part that has the feminist blogospere buzzing is his contention that working women and feminists are "detrimental" to the family. With this kind of anti-woman policy, he is not fit to govern any state and I hope his opponent R. Creigh Deeds takes him to task for it.
NARAL Pro-Choice VA is doing their part! Check out their clever you tube video!
Health Care Reform Day of Action is tomorrow!
Tomorrow, Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania will be joining the thousands of supporters of health care reform in a national day of action!
At 10 a.m. we will be heading to the University of Pittsburgh and Chatham University campuses to video students individual health care stories. These stories are one of the most valuable tools we have to show why it is so important that we address health care reform responsibly. We will also be doing a mobile phone bank into Senators Specter and Casey's offices so the folks we encounter can let their representative know that health care reform must not leave women worse off after health care then they were before!
After the visits to our local universities, we are heading over to the Health Care Rally for a Public Option at Mellon Square (6th Avenue and William Penn Place) at 2 p.m. Hosted by HCAN and SEIU, and a plethora of other hard working advocates for responsible health care reform, this rally is taking the message of health care reform to the streets. Please consider heading downtown to show your support! We will be the ones in the bright pink shirts :)
16 October 2009
Weekly Policy Recap
Amie Newman has an excellent post up about private insurers adverse treatment of women at RHRealityCheck.org.
Abortion and unintended pregnancy rates are declining as access to contraception becomes more available. Who would have thought?
Al Franken makes us proud yet again.
Certain conservative radio shows are pulling out all the stops to discredit independent thinking by republican women Senators Snowe and Collins. Surprise, surprise: they are using outright misogynistic messaging to make their point. Tsk, tsk gentlemen. Not that we were expecting anything different, but heck, it’s Friday. Give us a break already.
Abortion and unintended pregnancy rates are declining as access to contraception becomes more available. Who would have thought?
Al Franken makes us proud yet again.
Certain conservative radio shows are pulling out all the stops to discredit independent thinking by republican women Senators Snowe and Collins. Surprise, surprise: they are using outright misogynistic messaging to make their point. Tsk, tsk gentlemen. Not that we were expecting anything different, but heck, it’s Friday. Give us a break already.
This week in progressive entertainment...
Everyone who lives here knows, there is no shortage of great progressive events in Pittsburgh. This weekend (and the upcoming week) is no exception. Today marks the opening of the 24th Annual Pittsburgh International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival and despite its international title, there are several great films made locally about local issues.
Personally, I am so happy to see Out In The Silence on the schedule (and for free no less!).
Check out the synopsis here. The film will be playing this Tuesday, October 20th at CMU in the McConomy Auditorium.
Another homestate film, Training Rules, about student Jennifer Harris and her suit against Penn State and women's basketball coach Rene Portland will be airing on Saturday October 24th at SouthSide Cinema Works.
For the full schedule and details visit www.pilgff.org
Have a great weekend!
Personally, I am so happy to see Out In The Silence on the schedule (and for free no less!).
Check out the synopsis here. The film will be playing this Tuesday, October 20th at CMU in the McConomy Auditorium.
Another homestate film, Training Rules, about student Jennifer Harris and her suit against Penn State and women's basketball coach Rene Portland will be airing on Saturday October 24th at SouthSide Cinema Works.
Training Rules (trailer for the documentary) from Woman Vision on Vimeo.
For the full schedule and details visit www.pilgff.org
Have a great weekend!
15 October 2009
PPWP loves Glee!
Glee is hands down my favorite show on TV right now. In fact, Rebecca and I have both been swept off our feet by this charming tale of show choir woes and triumphs. (I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that we were both choir nerds in high school.) Thursday mornings we usually chat about the previous evening's episode. Not only are we delighted by the awesome song and dance numbers but unexpectedly, by the super positive messaging. Planned Parenthood got a shoutout in "Preggers" and who can forget the episode when Kurt comes out to his dad AND in a rare occurrence said dad doesn't freak out. Word to the wise network executives: Not every high school coming out experience is traumatic because you know what, it's not the worst thing in the world to be gay!
Anyway, so as Rebecca and I were gushing over Glee we thought, "We really should blog about this!" So...we are! Check back here every Thursday for a re-cap of each new episode. Make sure to post your thoughts if you too can't get enough of Glee! In the meantime, enjoy these videos of "Somebody to Love" and "Single Ladies"!
Anyway, so as Rebecca and I were gushing over Glee we thought, "We really should blog about this!" So...we are! Check back here every Thursday for a re-cap of each new episode. Make sure to post your thoughts if you too can't get enough of Glee! In the meantime, enjoy these videos of "Somebody to Love" and "Single Ladies"!
14 October 2009
Advocacy in the Sun: Summer Internship Re-Cap
Summer is the perfect time for advocacy! The weather is great which makes canvassing and outreach a breeze. There seem to be a plethora of festivals and health fairs to table at. The mood is positive and optimistic. Most importantly, students are looking for meaningful ways to spend their summers. Knowing this, Planned Parenthood of PA Advocates conducts a 10 week Grassroots Organizing internship every summer.
Planned Parenthood of PA Advocates is a force to be reckoned with in PA. It is made up of the public policy staffs of Pennsylvania’s five Planned Parenthood affiliates including mine: Planned Parenthood of Western PA. Together we recruit, hire, train and supervise our interns. We started recruiting in January, interviewed potential interns in February and March, made offers in April, and kicked it all off with a three day Action Camp in late May!
Action Camp is a crucial part of a major summer internship initiative. This year we gathered our 12 interns and 8 staff members under one roof for three days of training. It wasn’t all work though! We had plenty of time to include a reception/barbeque, a pool party, and a canvassing trial run. The time and effort to put on the Action Camp was well worth it. Our interns in their exit interviews said that they felt well prepared for the 10 weeks ahead of them after the training. They learned about our issues inside and out. They even lobbied to state representatives on the last day of the Action Camp!
This year we focused on advocating for comprehensive sex education. This was the perfect goal as we currently have two pieces of legislation in the PA state house that we are working on: HB 1163 and HB 1162. HB 1163 (The Healthy Youth Act) would mandate comprehensive medically accurate sex education in all Pennsylvania public schools. HB 1162 (The Notice Home Act) would require a “notice home” to be sent to parents of children who are not receiving comprehensive sex education in their schools. The bills will not be receiving a committee vote until this fall so we took the summer to lobby, canvass, phone bank and educate around the issue.
I’m pleased to say it was a successful venture and we will absolutely be doing it again next year. Advocacy is a volatile field to work in and predictably, things didn’t always run smoothly. In late July, we obviously had to shift some of our focus to health care reform issues which we had not prepared for. Our interns and staff fell right in step though and in the end, we met our goals on both issues. The numbers don’t lie. We knocked on 3,393 doors, dialed 5,563 numbers, identified 1, 627 new supporters, and obtained 821 new emails and 889 new c4 opt-ins. Most importantly, our interns had fun while doing work they care about. They will walk away from their internships with valuable on the ground organizing experience that will help them in their professional development. And maybe, just maybe…we’ll spot them at a Planned Parenthood Policy Summit one day. Here’s hopin’!
Planned Parenthood of PA Advocates is a force to be reckoned with in PA. It is made up of the public policy staffs of Pennsylvania’s five Planned Parenthood affiliates including mine: Planned Parenthood of Western PA. Together we recruit, hire, train and supervise our interns. We started recruiting in January, interviewed potential interns in February and March, made offers in April, and kicked it all off with a three day Action Camp in late May!
Action Camp is a crucial part of a major summer internship initiative. This year we gathered our 12 interns and 8 staff members under one roof for three days of training. It wasn’t all work though! We had plenty of time to include a reception/barbeque, a pool party, and a canvassing trial run. The time and effort to put on the Action Camp was well worth it. Our interns in their exit interviews said that they felt well prepared for the 10 weeks ahead of them after the training. They learned about our issues inside and out. They even lobbied to state representatives on the last day of the Action Camp!
This year we focused on advocating for comprehensive sex education. This was the perfect goal as we currently have two pieces of legislation in the PA state house that we are working on: HB 1163 and HB 1162. HB 1163 (The Healthy Youth Act) would mandate comprehensive medically accurate sex education in all Pennsylvania public schools. HB 1162 (The Notice Home Act) would require a “notice home” to be sent to parents of children who are not receiving comprehensive sex education in their schools. The bills will not be receiving a committee vote until this fall so we took the summer to lobby, canvass, phone bank and educate around the issue.
I’m pleased to say it was a successful venture and we will absolutely be doing it again next year. Advocacy is a volatile field to work in and predictably, things didn’t always run smoothly. In late July, we obviously had to shift some of our focus to health care reform issues which we had not prepared for. Our interns and staff fell right in step though and in the end, we met our goals on both issues. The numbers don’t lie. We knocked on 3,393 doors, dialed 5,563 numbers, identified 1, 627 new supporters, and obtained 821 new emails and 889 new c4 opt-ins. Most importantly, our interns had fun while doing work they care about. They will walk away from their internships with valuable on the ground organizing experience that will help them in their professional development. And maybe, just maybe…we’ll spot them at a Planned Parenthood Policy Summit one day. Here’s hopin’!
12 October 2009
Volunteer Spotlight: Why I chose PPWP for my internship...
As a senior Women ’s Studies major at
Interning at PPWP helps me take my frustration at the injustices of our current situations and turn it into something productive. PPWP gives me access to a network allows my small part to help make a big difference.
Outreach Intern, Fall 2009
02 September 2009
The wheels on the bus!
Organizing for America's Reform NOW bus rolled into Pittsburgh today and parked on Flagstaff Hill in Schenley Park. It was the first health care event I've been to this summer that wasn't completely out of control so congrats OFA! There was a small congregation of dissenters outside the caution tape but they were pretty subdued. The real action was happening inside the caution tape! A diverse crowd of health care reform supporters waved their red white and blue OFA signs as impassioned voices boomed from the American flag draped podium. A clergyman explained how health care reform reflects the principles of all major religions. A physician assured the crowd that the AMA endorses reform. Congressman Doyle continued to extol the virtues of single payer health insurance which was refreshing to a crowd that is hoping for a "robust" public option at best. Finally, everyone joined in a throwback "Yes we can!" chant. As I looked around at the men and women, young and old who still proudly display their old Obama election t-shirts, I realized just how much hope we as a progressive community have left and how much is on the line if health care reform fails. We still have Obama's back. I hope he still has ours.
04 August 2009
Anna in Ireland...
Submitted by Anna Donohoe, PPWP Grassroots Organizing Intern
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist over sex education” says Ireland’s Sunday Independent columnist Carol Hunt. This is not the attitude I expected before I got here, I must admit. I was imagining a very socially conservative and mostly Catholic society; and therefore I assumed everyone would be tight-lipped and prudish about sex education. Some background: I am in central Ireland visiting my relatives at the moment (all of my father’s family lives here), and that is why I decided to focus on sex ed in Ireland for this blog entry.
I asked two of my cousins about sex education (sex ed is called Relationship and Sexuality Education or RSE here) and what they were taught in school—one said that at his school it’s really up to the teacher’s discretion whether you get a comprehensive curriculum or an embarrassed abstinence-only approach. His sister agreed, saying her class at the same school got much less in-depth information than his. I’ve also been doing online research, and following day-to-day leads such as a television ad campaign.
There are two different TV ads by the same organization geared to teens and young adults that really put birth control in the spotlight—my favorite was aired during prime time on one of the most popular channels a few days ago. The ad starts with a passionate embrace in a fast food restaurant. As the cashier offers the couple their food, she asks “Do you want condoms with that?” Several more intimate scenes are similarly interrupted, then a voiceover says “You have 350 million chances of becoming pregnant after unprotected sex” and ends with the slogan “Nobody else is going to do the thinking for you—www.thinkcontraception.ie” The Think Contraception website is hip, professional, and very informative: male and female contraceptive choices listed separately, reproductive health & STI information, a 10 question quiz, a list of external resources and more. It was encouraging to see the ad on television, and to find out that it came from reliable and helpful source.
Emergency contraception (EC) is also a hot topic here- the Irish Family Planning Association has been working to make EC available over-the-counter for years now, but as yet women in Ireland must go to their doctor or a family planning clinic to get EC. One of the reasons EC is such a contentious issue here is that Ireland is a very anti-abortion country. According to Positive Options Crisis Pregnancy Services, “Abortion is illegal in Ireland except where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother.” It is however legal for Irish women to travel abroad in order to get abortions (though they will only be told about this option by their doctors under very select circumstances because of the particulars of the abortion law).
I hope to visit the Irish Family Planning Association’s Dublin clinic to do some more digging while I’m here. I’m very glad to have been positively surprised by the attitudes of Irish people towards sex education and contraception; and I wish the IFPA all the best in its battle to get over-the-counter EC!
For more information on sex education and related issues in Ireland go to:
http://www.thinkcontraception.ie/
http://www.ifpa.ie/
http://www.positiveoptions.ie/abortion_and_the_law/
http://www.crisispregnancy.ie/newsletter/newsletterv4_i2.htm
“Don’t get your knickers in a twist over sex education” says Ireland’s Sunday Independent columnist Carol Hunt. This is not the attitude I expected before I got here, I must admit. I was imagining a very socially conservative and mostly Catholic society; and therefore I assumed everyone would be tight-lipped and prudish about sex education. Some background: I am in central Ireland visiting my relatives at the moment (all of my father’s family lives here), and that is why I decided to focus on sex ed in Ireland for this blog entry.
I asked two of my cousins about sex education (sex ed is called Relationship and Sexuality Education or RSE here) and what they were taught in school—one said that at his school it’s really up to the teacher’s discretion whether you get a comprehensive curriculum or an embarrassed abstinence-only approach. His sister agreed, saying her class at the same school got much less in-depth information than his. I’ve also been doing online research, and following day-to-day leads such as a television ad campaign.
There are two different TV ads by the same organization geared to teens and young adults that really put birth control in the spotlight—my favorite was aired during prime time on one of the most popular channels a few days ago. The ad starts with a passionate embrace in a fast food restaurant. As the cashier offers the couple their food, she asks “Do you want condoms with that?” Several more intimate scenes are similarly interrupted, then a voiceover says “You have 350 million chances of becoming pregnant after unprotected sex” and ends with the slogan “Nobody else is going to do the thinking for you—www.thinkcontraception.ie” The Think Contraception website is hip, professional, and very informative: male and female contraceptive choices listed separately, reproductive health & STI information, a 10 question quiz, a list of external resources and more. It was encouraging to see the ad on television, and to find out that it came from reliable and helpful source.
Emergency contraception (EC) is also a hot topic here- the Irish Family Planning Association has been working to make EC available over-the-counter for years now, but as yet women in Ireland must go to their doctor or a family planning clinic to get EC. One of the reasons EC is such a contentious issue here is that Ireland is a very anti-abortion country. According to Positive Options Crisis Pregnancy Services, “Abortion is illegal in Ireland except where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of the mother.” It is however legal for Irish women to travel abroad in order to get abortions (though they will only be told about this option by their doctors under very select circumstances because of the particulars of the abortion law).
I hope to visit the Irish Family Planning Association’s Dublin clinic to do some more digging while I’m here. I’m very glad to have been positively surprised by the attitudes of Irish people towards sex education and contraception; and I wish the IFPA all the best in its battle to get over-the-counter EC!
For more information on sex education and related issues in Ireland go to:
http://www.thinkcontraception.ie/
http://www.ifpa.ie/
http://www.positiveoptions.ie/abortion_and_the_law/
http://www.crisispregnancy.ie/newsletter/newsletterv4_i2.htm
20 July 2009
Thinking globally, acting locally...
Grassroots Organizing intern Rachel Belieu had the opportunity to work around HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention in Vietnam during the Spring 09 semester. Here, she shares with us some of her experiences and how they relate to the need for comprehensive sex education domestically.
We were sitting in a stuffy classroom in Can Tho, the fifth-largest city in Vietnam, when we heard the statistic. We had been in Vietnam for over a month now, and that day we were fresh from the 1000-mile, 45-hour train journey that brought us from the cloudy streets of Hanoi to the sunny, humid Mekong Delta, a tangle of vegetation and waterways that sprawls over the southern-most quarter of Vietnam. The man before us, a professor of health at the local university, was trying to convince us that the Vietnamese were educated, informed, and prepared to handle the great public health challenges of our time.
"In the urban areas," he told us, "80% of the general population has 'good knowledge' about HIV/AIDS."
My friend Hannah and I glanced at each other, raising our eyebrows. We had been fed bogus statistics like this before ("100% of babies are born in the hospital") and before Hannah looked away, the seed of a project had germinated in my head, and I suddenly knew what I wanted to research during our two-week visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
During the spring semester, I participated in a four-month study abroad program that took us from Washington DC, to Tanzania and then Vietnam. What were we studying? In a word, Health; probing the medical, political, economic, social, and environmental aspects of that loaded word. In every place we visited, we set aside several days for research, cooking up projects of various degrees of feasibility and carrying them out.
Our project in Ho Chi Minh City was the most open, and with a few other young ladies from my program, I designed a survey to assess knowledge about HIV/AIDS. We then hit the streets, armed with a translator, interviewing students hanging out at the university, adults exercising in the park, and the migrant workers quietly descending on the outskirts of the city. In every demographic, in every age group, in every income range, the results were the same; people did not fully understand HIV/AIDS, how it is spread, and how it can be prevented.
I was vaguely triumphant for a moment; we had proved the lecturing professor wrong, we had uncovered the lies, the number-fudging behind yet another statistic. And then I remembered the implications of our findings; people in Vietnam were living their lives without adequate knowledge to protect themselves from one of the most fearsome diseases of our time. I was quiet then; the seriousness of the problem seeping into me like cold water. Later, we discovered troubling details about what passes for “sex education” in Vietnam. I will be sure to touch on these in another post.
This internship has really increased my awareness of how desperately our young people need the education we campaign for, but my ears are also trained on cries for help far from home. Everyone deserves proper education about sexual health. This is a big challenge, but one we can all relate to and benefit from solving. I’m the ultimate believer in “think global, act local,” and this internship is bringing me closer.
We were sitting in a stuffy classroom in Can Tho, the fifth-largest city in Vietnam, when we heard the statistic. We had been in Vietnam for over a month now, and that day we were fresh from the 1000-mile, 45-hour train journey that brought us from the cloudy streets of Hanoi to the sunny, humid Mekong Delta, a tangle of vegetation and waterways that sprawls over the southern-most quarter of Vietnam. The man before us, a professor of health at the local university, was trying to convince us that the Vietnamese were educated, informed, and prepared to handle the great public health challenges of our time.
"In the urban areas," he told us, "80% of the general population has 'good knowledge' about HIV/AIDS."
My friend Hannah and I glanced at each other, raising our eyebrows. We had been fed bogus statistics like this before ("100% of babies are born in the hospital") and before Hannah looked away, the seed of a project had germinated in my head, and I suddenly knew what I wanted to research during our two-week visit to Ho Chi Minh City.
During the spring semester, I participated in a four-month study abroad program that took us from Washington DC, to Tanzania and then Vietnam. What were we studying? In a word, Health; probing the medical, political, economic, social, and environmental aspects of that loaded word. In every place we visited, we set aside several days for research, cooking up projects of various degrees of feasibility and carrying them out.
Our project in Ho Chi Minh City was the most open, and with a few other young ladies from my program, I designed a survey to assess knowledge about HIV/AIDS. We then hit the streets, armed with a translator, interviewing students hanging out at the university, adults exercising in the park, and the migrant workers quietly descending on the outskirts of the city. In every demographic, in every age group, in every income range, the results were the same; people did not fully understand HIV/AIDS, how it is spread, and how it can be prevented.
I was vaguely triumphant for a moment; we had proved the lecturing professor wrong, we had uncovered the lies, the number-fudging behind yet another statistic. And then I remembered the implications of our findings; people in Vietnam were living their lives without adequate knowledge to protect themselves from one of the most fearsome diseases of our time. I was quiet then; the seriousness of the problem seeping into me like cold water. Later, we discovered troubling details about what passes for “sex education” in Vietnam. I will be sure to touch on these in another post.
This internship has really increased my awareness of how desperately our young people need the education we campaign for, but my ears are also trained on cries for help far from home. Everyone deserves proper education about sexual health. This is a big challenge, but one we can all relate to and benefit from solving. I’m the ultimate believer in “think global, act local,” and this internship is bringing me closer.
Things I thought after you closed the door or hung up the phone...
This post comes to us courtesy of Grassroots Organizing Intern, Anna Donohoe. Anna has been doing amazing work all summer: canvassing and phone banking on behalf of statewide sex education and now on health care reform!
When you said “Keep the faith, baby! Don’t let them take your rights away!” you made me examine my assumption that an older man like you would not be supportive. When you rode up to me on your too-large bike and asked “Hey, whatcha doin’?” you re-affirmed the importance of dialogue with everyone, even though you’re only 9 years old. You brightened my mood after an exhausting day of walking when you warned me that so-and-so next door was certainly not supportive, and refilled my bottle with ice-cold water on that 87 degree Friday. When (so proud of your peach-fuzz mustache) you slyly said I should call the number you wrote on my petition, it made me smile for the rest of the day. After you said “Honey, you’ve got the wrong house—we don’t want Planned Parenthood here” I was surprised how pleasantly our conversation ended when I admired the nasturtiums by your porch. Your enthusiasm was contagious when you answered “No, she’s not here... but tell me more, what are you calling about?” and the rest of that phone bank went very well. And I could hardly believe my ears when you tapped me on the shoulder and said “Are you Anna? My wife said I had to get in the car and find you so’s I can sign your petition….”
When you said “Keep the faith, baby! Don’t let them take your rights away!” you made me examine my assumption that an older man like you would not be supportive. When you rode up to me on your too-large bike and asked “Hey, whatcha doin’?” you re-affirmed the importance of dialogue with everyone, even though you’re only 9 years old. You brightened my mood after an exhausting day of walking when you warned me that so-and-so next door was certainly not supportive, and refilled my bottle with ice-cold water on that 87 degree Friday. When (so proud of your peach-fuzz mustache) you slyly said I should call the number you wrote on my petition, it made me smile for the rest of the day. After you said “Honey, you’ve got the wrong house—we don’t want Planned Parenthood here” I was surprised how pleasantly our conversation ended when I admired the nasturtiums by your porch. Your enthusiasm was contagious when you answered “No, she’s not here... but tell me more, what are you calling about?” and the rest of that phone bank went very well. And I could hardly believe my ears when you tapped me on the shoulder and said “Are you Anna? My wife said I had to get in the car and find you so’s I can sign your petition….”
18 June 2009
The Rising Value of Volunteers
Volunteers are valuable, right? We all know that but volunteers and the organizations they work for don’t often think of their value in dollars. However, a new study by Independent Sector in Washington is doing just that. In an economy where the bottom line means more now than ever, this study may hold the key to garnering volunteers and interns the long awaited recognition they deserve.
The Independent Sector study finds that the average value of a volunteer hour was $20.25 in 2008. This is an astounding 39% increase in 10 years. In 1998, the average value was only $14.56 per hour.
The study further breaks the statistics down by state and territory. The District of Columbia claims the most monetarily valuable volunteers with a worth of $31.55 per hour. In comparison, the biggest bargain for non-profit organizations can be found in Puerto Rico where the volunteer hour is valued at $10.56.
Congratulations to all our volunteers on your "pay raise!" Even in today's economy, volunteering still proves to be the best bang for your buck!
Details of this study can be found at http://www.independentsector.org/programs/research/volunteer_time.html.
The Independent Sector study finds that the average value of a volunteer hour was $20.25 in 2008. This is an astounding 39% increase in 10 years. In 1998, the average value was only $14.56 per hour.
The study further breaks the statistics down by state and territory. The District of Columbia claims the most monetarily valuable volunteers with a worth of $31.55 per hour. In comparison, the biggest bargain for non-profit organizations can be found in Puerto Rico where the volunteer hour is valued at $10.56.
Congratulations to all our volunteers on your "pay raise!" Even in today's economy, volunteering still proves to be the best bang for your buck!
Details of this study can be found at http://www.independentsector.org/programs/research/volunteer_time.html.
01 June 2009
Anti-Choice Extremists By the Numbers
Here at PPWP we have a marketing device called "Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania: By the Numbers". Essentially, it tells the story of what PPWP does every year though numerical data. It is a handy little tool for getting the word out about all of our great services. The content is something like this:
79: Number of years PPWP has provided women, men, and adolescents with the information and services needed to make responsible choice about sex and reproduction.
6: Number of PPWP health centers: downtown Pittsburgh (2), Bridgeville, Moon, Johnstown, and Somerset.
37,500 Number of women, men, and adolescents served by PPWP each year.
12: Number of counties served by PPWP: Allegheny, Beaver, Bedfored, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.
75%: Percentage of PPWP clients age 20 or older.
17,000: Number of teens, parents, and professionals reached each year by PPWP's responsible sex education programs.
70% Percentage of PPWP health care clients with annual incomes below 150% of the federal Poverty level (an annual income less than $15,600 per single person household).
87%: Percentage of PPWP health care clients that come to us for family planning services.
35,000: Number of visits to our website, http://www.ppwp.org/, each month.
If the Anti-Choice wackos responsible for the murder of Dr. George Tiller this past Sunday morning were to take ownership of all there hard work in the past 30 years(insert sarcastic and disdainful tone), this would be their marketing device. I present to you*:
"Anti-Choice Extremists: By the Numbers"
8: Murders, including Dr. Tiller
17: Attempted Murders
41: Bombings
175: Acts of Arson
96: Attempted Arson or Bombing
390: Invasions
1,400: Acts of Vandalism
1993: Acts of Trespass
100: Butyric Acid Attacks
659: Anthrax Threats
179: Acts of Assault & Battery
406: Death Threats
4: Kidnappings
151: Incidences of Burglary
525: Stalking Cases
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
*and by me, I mean the fine folks at National Abortion Federation.
79: Number of years PPWP has provided women, men, and adolescents with the information and services needed to make responsible choice about sex and reproduction.
6: Number of PPWP health centers: downtown Pittsburgh (2), Bridgeville, Moon, Johnstown, and Somerset.
37,500 Number of women, men, and adolescents served by PPWP each year.
12: Number of counties served by PPWP: Allegheny, Beaver, Bedfored, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland.
75%: Percentage of PPWP clients age 20 or older.
17,000: Number of teens, parents, and professionals reached each year by PPWP's responsible sex education programs.
70% Percentage of PPWP health care clients with annual incomes below 150% of the federal Poverty level (an annual income less than $15,600 per single person household).
87%: Percentage of PPWP health care clients that come to us for family planning services.
35,000: Number of visits to our website, http://www.ppwp.org/, each month.
If the Anti-Choice wackos responsible for the murder of Dr. George Tiller this past Sunday morning were to take ownership of all there hard work in the past 30 years(insert sarcastic and disdainful tone), this would be their marketing device. I present to you*:
"Anti-Choice Extremists: By the Numbers"
8: Murders, including Dr. Tiller
17: Attempted Murders
41: Bombings
175: Acts of Arson
96: Attempted Arson or Bombing
390: Invasions
1,400: Acts of Vandalism
1993: Acts of Trespass
100: Butyric Acid Attacks
659: Anthrax Threats
179: Acts of Assault & Battery
406: Death Threats
4: Kidnappings
151: Incidences of Burglary
525: Stalking Cases
You should be ashamed of yourselves.
*and by me, I mean the fine folks at National Abortion Federation.
26 May 2009
PPWP Advocates for Equal Access to Contraceptives in Low Income Neighborhoods
Hooray for Tiffany!
This past Thursday, PPWP was invited to speak at a Cure CVS rally to the need for access to contraceptives for all communities. Cure CVS survey results show that condoms where observed under lock and key in one-fifth of the Pittsburgh area CVS stores visited (6 of 30 stores). These stores are located in areas with the largest proportions of residents of color in the Pittsburgh area. For more information visit the Cure CVS website and WATCH OUR VIDEO!
Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Offical Response to Obama's SCOTUS Nomination
STATEMENT FROM CECILE RICHARDS, PRESIDENT OF PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA, ON NOMINATION OF JUDGE SONIA SOTOMAYOR TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT
"This historic nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court sends a strong signal that President Obama understands the importance of ensuring that our Supreme Court justices respect precedent while also protecting our civil liberties.
"Jugde Sotomayor has vast experience in nearly every aspect of the law, having served as a big-city prosecutor and a corporate litigator, a federal trial judge on the U.S. District Court, and an appellate judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. What our nation needs from our Supreme Court justices is a deep understanding of the law, an appreciation of the impact of the court's decisions on everyday Americans, and a commitment to the protection of our individual liberties. Judge Sotomayor will bring this dedication and commitment with her to the bench.
"There is no doubt that Judge Sotomayor's story is an inspiration to all. Her nomination as the first Hispanic woman justice reminds us that, with hard work and commitment, all things are truly possible in America."
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