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What Can Your Church Do To Help?
The following statistics are staggering, but together, we can make a difference!
AGE 15 STATISTICS BY THE NUMBERS
New Mexico's high rate of teen pregnancy and births to teens earns it low rankings among the national studies:
Fifth worst, according to Child Trends.
Fifth worst, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Third worst, according to Kids Count.
- New Hampshire consistently ranks at the best with a birth rate of 24 per 1,000 girls ages 15-19; Mississippi as the worst with a rate of 73 per 1,000. New Mexico's teen birth rate is 67.7 per 1,000.
- Luna County had the highest rate of births to mothers ages 15-19 at 104.2 per 1,000, and Los Alamos County had the lowest at 5 per 1,000 in New Mexico counties that reported more than 20 births in 1998. Bernalillo County's rate is 62.7 per 1,000.
- Sixty-four percent of teen moms in New Mexico are Hispanic; 19 percent are non-Hispanic white; 13 percent are American Indian; 3 percent are black; 1 percent are other ethnic groups.
- Teen pregnancies in New Mexico resulted in 62 percent live births, 23 percent abortions, 15 percent miscarriages.
- About 80 percent of births to teens in New Mexico occur outside the marriage; 20 percent are repeat births.
- Most teen mothers in New Mexico - 75 percent of those ages 15-17 - did not intend to get pregnant.
- More than a third of teens who had unintended pregnancies reported using birth control at the time of conception.
- More than half of teens and women older than 20 with unintended pregnancies were not using any form of birth control.
- More than 52 percent of teen mothers said they didn't receive prenatal care until after the first trimester or received no prenatal care. Yet 59.9 percent said they received prenatal care as early as they wanted it.
- Twenty-two percent of teen mothers' partners said they wanted the pregnancy.
- Teen pregnancy costs New Mexico $88 million in public assistance, health care, criminal justice and lost tax revenue, according to a 1992 state Department of Health estimate. The New Mexico Teen Pregnancy Coalition last year estimated the cost at $6.9 billion, or $2,831 per teen parent.
- New Mexico taxpayers would save an estimated $35 million each year if every teen birth were delayed until the mother was in her early 20s, according to the Center for Population Options.
Sources: Child Trends 2001 report, 1991-99 data; New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics, 1999 data; New Mexico Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System, 1997-1999 data;
New Mexico Prenatal Care Utilization Task Force; Center for Population Options, 1992 data.
What Can The Church Do To Help?
As we join together to fight against abortion and teen pregnancy in New Mexico, we need to reach out to the churches in our community. Click here for a listing of churches in our community
that support the work and ministry provided by the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Albuquerque.
Below are some practical ways that your church can join us in the battle:
| When a church makes a commitment to the ministry of a local
center, communication becomes key. |
Regular sharing of the center's needs will stimulate participation among the
congregation. Consider the following suggestions for building communication.
- Appoint someone to act as a liaison with center at least monthly.
- Invite a representative from the center to regularly share with the congregation.
- Loan the church mailing list to the center so they can inform church members about the ministry
- Pray for the center from the pulpit
- Preach on the Christian’s response to abortion
Consistent communication will educate people concerning the varied needs facing the center, and how they can help fill the needs. Perhaps the first concern that will pop into their minds will be financial.
| Your church can help by donating funds. |
Some ways your church can help with the financial matters on both corporate and individual levels:
- Include the center in your home missions budget. Dependable monthly or quarterly donations are probably the most important gifts your church can make to the center.
- Hold fund-raising events such as:
- Making and auctioning handmade quilts
- Selling tickets to a fashion show
- Holding a pie or cake auction
- Host a church wide garage sale
- Have volunteers from your church participate in the center’s Walk
for Life and annual banquets.
- Give gifts-in-kind to the center. They’re as good as cash and as
plentiful as your imagination!
- Collect a special offering in a service.
Without the faithful support of churches and Christians who attend them, the Care Net Pregnancy Center of Albuquerque lacks the funds for their programs. But without committed volunteer personnel, even funded programs can’t be staffed.
| Volunteer needs are plenty in all of the centers of Albuquerque. |
Click here for some ministry opportunities to choose from.
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