Inflation is at an all-time high in the US right now. As of the writing of this blog inflation (at a rate of 9.1%) has reached its highest point since 1981… that’s close to 40 years! You don’t have to major in economics to understand how much this impacts our daily lives, just go grocery shopping or buy gasoline and you’ll be able to see and feel the effects of such a large number. Gas prices are up 63% from just last year* and grocery prices are 10.8% higher than last year*. The average amount of money that a family in the United States will spend per month is approximately $300-$500 more than in previous years. This not only puts a huge strain on finances for families who live paycheck to paycheck, but we also see families having to dip into their savings to cover these extra monthly costs. The end result is more impoverished households and more women feeling like they can’t afford another child. In fact, the pro-choice organization that tracks abortion rates (https://www.guttmacher.org/) says that 75% of abortions are from women in poverty… and that was in 2014 well before the current inflation issues.
Knowing that poverty affects abortion rates and that right now 14.4% of Americans* are considered at or below the poverty level, we can see that abortions will likely rise due to inflation. So what can we do? How do we as the church and individuals, help women and families in poverty so they don’t choose abortion? The first thing we can do is spread the word about Life Options Network. Many women have no idea such organizations exist so the mere act of sharing our organization which helps women locally and nationally, goes a long way. You can also give to Life Options Network in the form of donations, your time, or finances. You can find our donations link here- https://lifeoptionsnetwork.org/donate/ and can email us at lifeoptionsnetworknw@gmail.com to find out about volunteering or giving opportunities. We hope that you’ll consider partnering with us in the coming months and years… let’s end the lie that tells women that their only choice in the face of financial instability, is abortion.
Let’s give women hope, and tangible items like diapers, wipes, formula, clothing, rental assistance, baby furniture, and registry items. Let’s help women find housing, jobs, and financial help. Let’s walk with pregnant women, single mothers, and struggling families through every step of their hardship and help them find their footing again.
*https://www.kiplinger.com/personal-finance/spending/604644/why-are-gas-prices-still-going-up
https://www.povertycenter.columbia.edu/news-internal/monthly-poverty-february-2022
