Celebrating 40 Years: Highlights from Our Annual Fundraising Banquet

Pictured Above: Melissa Ohden delivering her keynote speech
Photo courtesy of Mighty Moments Photography

Our Annual Fundraising Banquet marked a monumental milestone as we celebrated 40 years of protecting lives and serving woman and families. This year’s event was truly special, with 700 attendees coming together to honor our legacy and look forward to a bright future.

Special Guests: Jor-El Godsey and Melissa Ohden

We were honored to have Jor-El Godsey, president of Heartbeat International, as our emcee for the evening. With his extensive experience and passion for supporting life-affirming ministries around the world, Jor-El brought warmth and wisdom, guiding us through the evening’s program with grace, insight, and humor.

Our keynote speaker, Melissa Ohden, founder of The Abortion Survivors Network, delivered a powerful and eye-opening message about the reality of abortion survivors. In her address, Melissa shared impactful statistics that shed light on this often-overlooked group, emphasizing how many survivors go unnoticed. She also highlighted the crucial work her organization is doing to support and connect with survivors, offering them healing, advocacy, and a platform to share their stories. Her message inspired and challenged us all to continue standing for life and supporting those affected in every way possible.

Fundraising Success and Sponsor Gratitude

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of our guests through pledges, sponsorships, and one-time donations, we are proud to announce that we raised $255,259. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all those who contributed, as every single dollar makes a tangible impact on the clients we serve.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible 36 corporate sponsors, who underwrote the event. Because of their generosity, 100% of the pledges raised will benefit our Life Services programs and Women's Clinic services. We encourage all of our supporters to visit and support the businesses and organizations that showcase their commitment and dedication to our mission.

Banquet gifts are still being accepted through the end of the year. All donations are tax-deductible. The pledges received will help sustain the center in the coming year. ACPC relies heavily on our fundraisers, which make up 49.2% of our annual budget.

MAKE A DONATION >>

Panel with Past and Present Leaders and Meet the Staff

One of the highlights of the evening was the panel discussion featuring past executive directors Helen Banner and Barbara Musso, along with our current CEO Tamra Axworthy. Together, they shared their experiences, challenges, and successes in leading our mission through the decades, reminding us of the perseverance and passion that has guided us for 40 years.

From Left to Right: Jor-El Godsey, Tamra Axworthy, Barbara Musso, Helen Banner/ Photo Credit: Mighty Moments Photography

See Photos on Facebook >>

As a fun addition to the night, we debuted our 80's-themed "Meet the Staff" video, which brought smiles and laughter to our supporters as we introduced our team in true retro fashion. You can watch the video here on YouTube and get to know the faces behind the mission.

Thank you for Making our Annual Fundraising Banquet a Success

As we reflect on "Protecting with Perseverance and Passion for 40 years," we look forward to even greater impact in the years to come. For more information, including our Center statistics, please visit our online banquet program.

Thank you once again for your invaluable support and dedication.

About Melissa Ohden

Melissa Ohden, a survivor of a failed saline infusion abortion, is a Master's level prepared Social Worker and author of You Carried Me: A Daughter's Memoir and Abortion Survivors Break Their Silence, due to release this year. She is also the Founder and Director of The Abortion Survivors Network, the only healing and advocacy organization for abortion survivors worldwide, and The Education and Policy Center, which impacts policy issues related to abortion and abortion survivors. As of July 2021, Melissa and her team have connected with 397 survivors. Melissa is a voice for the voiceless, fulfilling the purpose she believes God set out for her when He saved her from the certain death of the abortion attempt. Learn more about Melissa Ohden by visiting www.melissaohden.com