A New Jersey congressman accused a local pregnancy resource center of being a “brainwashing cult clinic” for helping women who find themselves in unplanned pregnancies.
Representative Josh Gottheimer made the shocking allegation at a press conference he held across the street from Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center.
According to his official website, the purpose of his press conference was to kick off a campaign to “shutdown deceptive anti-choice clinics.”
In an exclusive interview with Focus on the Family’s Daily Citizen, Executive Director of Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center Debbie Provencher said, “Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center was shocked and saddened by this surprise attack on our Hackensack center by a congressman committed to serving our community.”
According to Provencher, “Rep. Gottheimer never took the time to learn about our center, and instead made untrue and inflammatory statements about Lighthouse, other pregnancy centers, and even our supporters.”
Provencher told Daily Citizen that Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center has four locations in New Jersey and they are actively serving women, men and children in the community with “free medical services, and ongoing educational, emotional, and spiritual support.”
Provencher continued, “We have great reviews, which can be easily found online. We partner with many other nonprofits in our community, including local hospitals.”
Lighthouse Pregnancy Center is motivated to serve its community because it believes every life has value, says Provencher, and that its staff aim to serve every man, woman, and child with “professionalism, respect, and compassion.”
In a press release addressing this incident, Provencher wrote, “attacking New Jersey’s pregnancy centers hurts – rather than helps – New Jersey women.”
These “attacks against us are attacks against those we serve,” she concluded.
Lighthouse provided the Daily Citizen with three testimonials of clients they’ve helped.
“I am very happy to visit Lighthouse. Everybody is so nice and treated me with sensitivity, especially during my ultrasound. I definitely will refer more people.”
“The service at Lighthouse Pregnancy Center is a great experience. You go there feeling overwhelmed and I guarantee you will leave feeling heard and helped.”
“I felt very comfortable especially in regard to my decision. I am blessed that my mother found the number that led me here today.”
Referencing Representative Gottheimer, Provencher told the Daily Citizen, “We are his constituents and neighbors. I wish he would take the time to get to know and understand the work we are doing in his community.”
Pregnancy resource centers are serving more women and families in more comprehensive ways than ever before.
According to Charlotte Lozier Institute, pregnancy resource centers served two million people in 2019. They provided $270 million in services at little to no cost to their clients.
Today, there are nearly 3,000 pregnancy centers and maternity homes ready and willing to serve and support mothers and their families across the country.
Provencher asks that the pro-life community pray for the Center in three specific ways:
- Pray for truth to be revealed.
- Pray that Representative Gottheimer would take an unbiased look the work Lighthouse Pregnancy Centers does to serve the community.
- Pray that God would shut down the statewide attacks on pregnancy resource centers so they can continue to serve women, men and children who need free, compassionate care.
To learn more about the good work that Lighthouse Pregnancy Center does, visit their website.
Photo from Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center.
