Friends and families from all over Tallahassee gathered Saturday to walk for a cause. People from local communities, churches and schools participated in helping to raise funds to serve women and men facing pregnancy crises.
A Women’s Pregnancy Center hosted its 26th annual WALK for LIFE fundraiser at the Tallahasse Automobile Museum. Following the walk, families enjoyed activities such as face painting, a bounce house and a petting zoo.
“WALK for LIFE is one of our two major fundraisers. We expect to raise one-third of our annual operating budget today,” said Jamie Brown, executive director at A Women’s Pregnancy Center. Brown oversees AWPC’s operations, handles developmental work and occasionally gets to counsel men and women.
A Women’s Pregnancy Center, located at 919 W. Pensacola St., offers free pregnancy testing and options as well as counseling for women and men experiencing unplanned pregnancies, as well as non-diagnostic educational ultrasounds, post-abortion support, parenting classes, mentoring programs and peer counseling. Forty-eight percent of the women who experience an unplanned pregnancy choose to carry.
“I heard about the walk through a friend, so I decided to come. It was an experience and an eye opener,” said Sharrell Sibert, a freshman at Florida A&M University.
More than $205,000 was raised at last year’s annual WALK for LIFE and $175,847 was raised the year before that. “If it’s any indication of the last five years, our center will see tremendous growth,” said Brown. “Our biggest challenge now is space and our ability to house all of the programs,” she added.
AWPC partners with organizations throughout the city and serves all three of the universities in town. Although its office is located near FSU, they often set up informational tables at Set Friday on Florida A&M University’s’ campus. They do not accept government funding so all the resources received come from individuals at churches throughout the community.
“This is my second time attending the annual WALK for LIFE fundraiser, it’s for a great cause and I enjoy contributing to it,” said Annie Williams, a 60-year-old Tallahasse resident.