“If you look at the issues, the issue of life is probably right there at the top of the top,” Jason Chaffetz told Vitae Foundation supporters at its Annual Dallas Pro-Life Event Tuesday night. “When you think about where you place your time and efforts, I can think of nothing better than what Vitae does and how they do it.”
The event on October 20 included a socially-distanced crowd at the exclusive Northwood Club, where emcee and former Congressman Lt. Col. Allen West said there are many approaches in creating a Culture of Life.
“That’s Vitae’s mission—to change hearts and minds, and they do that in a way that is unique in the pro-life community,” West said. He challenged supporters to consider ways they can help Vitae expand and prosper. “Each of us has family and friends, business contacts, and skills and experience. All are ways that you can become more involved and invite people who may not know Vitae but need to!”
West explained how everything Vitae does is a research initiative, from the seven Right Brain studies conducted with Dr. Charles Kenny to the numerous marketing studies conducted in the application of that research. The director of Dallas’ own Thrive Women’s Clinic shared with the audience how they have benefitted from that research and the work of Vitae.
Mary Jayne Fogerty, Thrive’s Executive Director said Vitae’s expertise gives them the time to be on the front lines working with clients, because that’s what they are good at. “Fortunately, Vitae is really good at doing Google Adwords, social media, and now Geofencing. We are so excited about that!”
Chaffetz shared his personal story of upheaval that began when he was a teenager. “Even my closest friends didn’t know I was going through the things I was,” he noted. He correlated that with women today, facing an unexpected pregnancy and hiding that from family and friends.
“A lot of women are waking up with a crisis, and they don’t know where to go. They don’t understand the ramifications, necessarily, of a decision regarding the magnitude of life,” Chaffetz said. “So, they’ve got their phone, and they’re going to try to figure out what it is they are going to do. They are given a page or two of solutions and choices, and there’s Vitae, giving them an opportunity to have an alternative to (aborting) an unborn baby.”
This plays out multiple times every day in Dallas and across the country. Vitae’s Senior Market Director Stacey Kromer shared that Vitae’s work there is reaching women with exceptional results.
“From January through October of this year, Vitae has made 12,867 connections with women and Thrive! These are women who otherwise could have been headed to Planned Parenthood,” Kromer stated.
The geofencing project with Thrive began in September and will run through the end of the year. Fogerty is very pleased with how that is going. “We can call Kasarah or Derren or Kenney and say, ‘Can you fence in this particular apartment building?’ and they can do that, and our ad will show up!
“We’re just super grateful! We’ve worked with Vitae for over 12 years. We started with billboards and now we’re doing what gets you the most bang for your buck with the Google Ads and everything else they do. We couldn’t have the success we’re having without your support of Vitae,” Fogerty noted.
Even though 12,867 connections with Thrive’s four centers in Dallas were highlighted, Chaffetz said this is a fight that is also fought one person at a time, when a woman is in that moment, making that critical decision.
“You know what’s going to have as big an impact as anything? They’re going to rely on that phone. They’re going to pick it up, and they’re going to try to find answers,” Chaffetz said. “When you take your money and your time and your talent and you think, where am I going to place that? This is as good a place as any, to make a true difference in people’s lives.”
The former congressman reminded the audience there are people in this country that want to tear us down—that it’s ok to do things and say things, as long as it’s agreeable to them.
“Heaven forbid you believe in life. Heaven forbid that you believe that we should protect the unborn. But there are people out there that believe this wholeheartedly,” Chaffetz stated. “America is about saying what you believe in and to be ok to do that. … If you want to move the ball forward, you have to be able to explain to people why you believe what you believe.”
Chaffetz is unequivocal about this. “I believe that life starts at conception. …It takes money and resources to fight that good fight, and that’s what Vitae does and why I’m just so thrilled and happy to be associated with them. I cannot thank you enough for what you do and how you do it.” Chaffetz concluded.
If you were unable to attend the event in Dallas this week or are someone who would like to help Vitae continue with its mission of reaching women in the “now moment,” please consider a gift today.