Group Thanks Clinic Supporters

South Bay Friends of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, a local volunteer support group, welcomes the announcement of the proposed new clinic in the Torrance area. We are particularly grateful for the Mark Taper Foundation grant that will make this project possible.

The growing population in the South Bay has created an unmet need in our area for additional reproductive health services for women. We also anticipate the new clinic will be a focal point for educational and prevention programs, such as the successful Postponing Sexual Involvement project conducted by PPLA in junior high schools. We believe similar programs locally will help reduce the epidemic of unintended pregnancies among teen-age girls in our community.

The South Bay Friends (of Planned Parenthood) organization sincerely hopes that opponents of the clinic will not resort to violence in an effort to impose their philosophy upon women who are in need of critical health services. It is anticipated that 90% of clinic visits will relate to birth control, prenatal care, cancer screenings and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Adequate health care should be the right of every woman in our community, no matter her financial status. Planned Parenthood is committed to providing those services, and we in the South Bay applaud those efforts.

CHARLOTTE CARTER, South Bay Friends of Planned Parenthood