It’s with extra joyful hearts that we celebrate Thanksgiving this year. This marks 20 years that Life Issues Institute has been working to end abortion and protect innocent human life. Through hard work and dedication, our donors, board, staff and volunteers have significantly contributed to pro-life victories throughout these last two decades.
During this celebrated time of year, we pause to give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed on Life Issues Institute. And we couldn’t do it alone. Those who provide faithful financial support and prayers have been a crucial part of these accomplishmentsa partnership worth more than gold! You are needed and loved. Please take a moment to learn how being a partner of Life Issues Institute helps to save lives.
TV Reaches Millions, Touches Hearts
Our Emmy-award winning television program, Facing Life Head-On, is now in its 6th Season. Because we deliver a professionally-produced and trusted program, our television network partners air every episode at no charge,which makes TV possible because production costs alone are substantial. Each week we tackle tough topics that no one else is talking about: forced abortion in China, pro-abortion bias in the media, the birth of quads or the marketing of abortion. One of our favorites was about high school kids who elected a prom king and queen with Down syndrome. Every week our episodes have access to over 200-million homes across the US and Canada. We also stream them in their entirety on our website at www.facinglife.tv.
Viral Videos & Haircuts Reaching the Black Community
Government statistics and census data show the abortion industry is targeting minorities in America. Our Urban Outreach Director, Arnold M. Culbreath, worked with key Black pro-life leaders like Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. on two unique projects to reach the Black community with the truth about abortion. One was three sixty-second, viral videos. The social media campaign, Numbers Don’t Lie, has been extremely successful, and we’ve only scratched the surface.
The other is called the Samson Project, derived from the strong, long-haired character of the Bible. Barber shops and hair salons are cultural epicenters of interaction and dialog in the Black community. Our goal is to reach barbers and hair stylists with the reality of abortion and encourage them to inform their customers by simply sharing this tragic truth. Through this cooperative effort with other Black pro-life leaders, to-date over 1,000 barbers, hair stylists, nail technicians and makeup artists are sharing the truth with their customers.
Explosive Growth in Radio Outreach
Our daily radio broadcast, Life Issues, has experienced enormous growth this year. Started by Dr. Willke in 1991, and continued by Brad Mattes since 2003, its an essential way to educate pro-life Americans and reach those who are undecided on the life issues. Since January 2011, our audience has grown by 72%, now topping 1,040 radio outlets. Further, Life Issues is aired over 1,400 times a day, an estimated audience of 35-million every week.
We reached additional people with two impactful half-hour radio specials this year. The first was aired during the anniversary of Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion and called Snatched from Death. The second was aired over July Fourth and called A Lifetime Sacrifice. Both programs broke records in the number of radio outlets donating a half-hour of precious radio time for free. An amazing 829 radio stations aired our July special.
Teaming Up with Latin America
This May, Brad Mattes participated with an American team on a week-long lecture tour in Quito, Ecuador where abortion is illegal but clandestinely available. They spoke to over 7,000 studentsmostly girlsfrom 13 years old to the university level. He shared information on the effect of abortion on men, not from a personal perspective, but from a passion placed on his heart. Abstinence and fetal development were also a prominent part of their message. Most of the presentations were conducted in public schools. Since our time there, the Ministry of Health has asked local pro-lifers to develop a sex-education curriculum for the public schools.
Brad was also part of a major pro-life effort in Santiago, Chile that focused on post-abortion issues. He spoke at a two-day conference of pro-lifers representing ten different Latin American nations, hosted by Proyecto Esperanza. Brad addressed the group on the effect of abortion on men. Afterward, he spoke at an International Congress held at the University of Santiago. He spoke on the same topic to an overflow crowd of more than five-hundred. Last, he met with the chaplain of Chiles president and other Evangelical leaders at the presidential palace, the equivalent of our White House. The chaplain indicated that Brad had made quite an impression at the University earlier in the week.
Under the direction of Dr. Willke, Life Issues Institute also supplied 32 crucial shipments of pro-life educational resources to foreign countries in 2011. All materials were sent free of charge to these countries in need.
Networking Builds Bridges to Protecting Life
Throughout the year, the leadership of Life Issues Institute interacts with key individuals all over the United States in an effort to build bridges that will help us protect innocent human life from womb to tomb.
Personal relationships sometimes intersect with professional partnerships. Since his first TV interview 
with Terri Schiavo’s family after her death, they and Brad have become close friends. This year Brad was honored to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network. Protecting the lives of the medically vulnerable and disabled from the threat of euthanasia is their shared passionone that Life Issues Institute is pleased to support.
Be A Blessing To Others
Through twenty years of strategic efforts and perseverance, we have steadily made gains in the fight to protect innocent human life. Were increasingly encouraged that, for the first time, three consecutive national polls have shown more people are pro-life than pro-abortionincluding youth. This didn’t happen by accident. Its the fruit of a deliberate, coordinated effort in cooperation with other pro-life organizations. Were on the winning side. Abortion and Roe v Wade are living on borrowed time. We need you to boldly stand with us on behalf of the babieseven when times are tough.
We need your support to keep our efforts strong this year and into the next. Use our secure website to make your donation count today or mail your gift. Lets make 2012 a banner year for the babies. Your help will bring us closer to ending abortion.
May God richly bless you and your family during this Thanksgiving holiday and always!
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