Alliance For Life – Missouri

On the Move and Growing

By Jim Day

Several years ago a group of Missouri pregnancy center directors came together to share ideas, concerns, prayers and ideas on networking. Out of that initial gathering, the Alliance For Life – Missouri (AFL-MO) was established as an affiliate organization designed to promote, nurture, unite and expand the work of Christ centered, pro-life efforts in the State of Missouri. It was not long before the vision expanded to include maternity homes, adoption agencies and now includes pregnancy centers in Illinois and Kansas.

During the past seven years AFL-MO has sponsored annual state conferences to provide training, encouragement and spiritual refreshment to the staff, board members and volunteers of affiliated ministries; assisted in the establishment and making operational four new pregnancy centers, provided extensive training for four affiliate boards of directors, and is currently holding meetings to assist three more pregnancy center startups in 2007.
The year 2006 opened up a new opportunity for the Alliance as they applied for and were awarded a $550,000 grant from the State of Missouri for part of their ‘Alternatives to Abortion’ program. The grant is being used to fund local pregnancy centers for working with pregnant women in Missouri who might other wise chose abortion. Alternatives to Abortion can pay for case management, parenting classes, fatherhood classes for the child’s dad, educational assistance (for mom and dad), medical assistance, adoption counseling and other necessities in an effort to come along side the mother and meet some of the basic needs that will allow her to continue her pregnancy. Such services can continue for up to one year past the delivery of the baby. So far, 13 pregnancy centers and one adoption agency have signed up as sub-contractors with the Alliance to bring these resources to women throughout Missouri.

John McCastle, the founder and current president of AFL-MO, considers it a true blessing to serve his organizations’ affiliates much like a consultant. Issues and questions on board responsibilities and training, volunteer training, events and fundraising, starting and establishing pregnancy centers are just a few of the many areas of expertise John has developed in his 20 plus years of pro-life ministry. In addition, John has also had the opportunity to travel to San Palo, Brazil and Kitwe, Zambia to do pregnancy center board training for Life International, a national organization much like the Alliance except that it works in countries around the globe.

AFL-MO has set up opportunities for individuals, businesses, and churches to participate in assisting new pregnancy centers to get started. Part of the vision of the Alliance is to see a pregnancy center in every county in Missouri over the next ten years. Money donated to assist new pregnancy centers will be used as matching grants for the local community to be challenged in the start up process. Additional donations are needed to provide training scholarships for center directors, staff and volunteers of the smaller centers for staff training and ultrasound training. Those interested in making donations to these efforts can contact John at (417) 598-1040.

John, his wife Robin and their two sons Matthew and Christopher live in Kimberling City, Missouri. AFL–MO’s address is P.O. Box 2322, Branson West, Missouri 65737-2322.

Anyone needing assistance with an unplanned pregnancy can find out more by contacting their local pregnancy center or the Alliance For Life’s toll free number: 1-888-HELP-090.