Monthly Monitor: August 2020
By Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri | Aug. 31, 2020, 10 p.m.
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Act Now: Gov. Parson trying to "defund" Planned Parenthood again
Governor Parson has been trying to “defund” Planned Parenthood for years. The Missouri Supreme Court just ruled the “defund” attempts by Parson and the Legislature unlawful, so they're trying another route: applying for a federal Women's Health Services Program with the same “defund” provision.
Let's be clear: “Defunding” Planned Parenthood means blocking patients from birth control, cancer screenings, and STI testing and treatment.
The law requires Gov. Parson's administration to take comments from the public. Submit your comment today and demand the “defund” be removed from this new program. No matter where we live or how much money we make, all patients should be able to access vital preventive care at the providers we choose, including Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood health centers are an essential part of the health care safety net, caring for thousands of patients each year. “Defunding” Planned Parenthood is an attack on patients — and we won't stand for it.
Submit Your CommentHuge WIN: Amendment 2 Passes!
We did it! Together, we passed Amendment 2 to expand Medicaid to 230,000 Missourians.
Over the past year, PPMO worked in coalition on a strategic electoral program to activate voters and mobilize our robust supporter base. Here’s a snapshot of the work Planned Parenthood Advocates volunteers, interns and staff did to bring home a win on Amendment 2:
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685 voter contact hours over the course of 246 shifts
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44,900 calls and 103,738 texts to voters this summer
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3,631 supportive voters identified, educated, and helped with a vote plan
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61,942 pieces of mail sent to voters
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4,550 signatures collected to qualify Amendment 2 for the ballot
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288,500 total voter contacts for Amendment 2, and
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Four educational teach-ins and free ballot notarization
“After years of demanding more from our elected leaders, Missourians took matters into our own hands by voting to expand Medicaid and deliver critical health care coverage to thousands in our state,” said M’Evie Mead, PPMO’s director of policy and organizing.
“For nearly a decade, unaccountable politicians like Gov. Parson have ignored our demands for justice and affordable health care. They have denied Missourians health care and viciously attacked Missourians’ reproductive freedom. By refusing to expand Medicaid, they have refused to invest in our communities, create better-paying jobs for workers, and make health care more accessible for Black and Brown communities — the same communities who already face systemic barriers within our health care system. Instead, Gov. Parson has spent years trying to score political points by passing senseless anti-abortion policies.
“Missouri voters rejected Gov. Mike Parson’s anti-health care agenda that left too many people behind. We chose to unite and protect our communities from the worst of the pandemic. Missouri voters set a better course for our state, sending a clear message: We all deserve access to affordable health care — regardless of who we are or where we live.”
PinkOut for Planned Parenthood Great Plains on Sept. 10!
Join Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes for PinkOut for Planned Parenthood on Sept. 10th! PinkOut for Planned Parenthood is a virtual night of music, advocacy, and empowerment featuring performances from artists all across our four-state region.
You’ll hear from the members on our team in the front lines of defending access, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund President & CEO Alexis McGill Johnson. RSVP today!
Virtual Movie Screening: All In: The Fight for Democracy
Join Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 6-8:30 p.m. for a virtual watch party of the new film, All In: The Fight for Democracy!
Following the film, volunteers will be trained to participate in a relational organizing action to get folks registered to vote. Sign up to join this watch party from home!
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