A group of people sit at tables in a bright conference room, facing a woman giving a presentation in front of a screen displaying a circular logo. Papers, drinks, and food are on the tables.

Lakeland

Her PLAN is here to help community members who want to provide that
support to moms and their babies. 

Lakeland is a suburban city in Polk County located along I-4 between Tampa and Orlando. Out of all the localities in Polk, Lakeland houses the majority of the population and resources, meaning moms from the surrounding area will often drive up to an hour to Lakeland to receive care.

How Her PLAN works in Lakeland

When growing communities don’t have the current resources and jobs necessary to support new families, Her PLAN is here to help community members who want to provide that support to moms and their babies. Together, Her PLAN and local leaders assess community needs, respond with projects and programs to fill them, and ensure this vulnerable demographic has their needs met.

About Lakeland

Her PLAN’s state program in Florida launched in 2025 with the first Her Community officially launched in February of 2026 in Lakeland. Since then, community coalitions of local leaders, providers, and organizations have banded together to meet the needs of abortion-vulnerable women right in their own neighborhoods.

Care Support

What Her Community has built

Lakeland is especially well-equipped in a few areas to support moms. Here is where your
community is already making a difference.

Two women smiling together; one is pregnant and wearing a beige tank top while the other, in a white sleeveless blouse, gently touches her pregnant belly in a supportive, joyful moment indoors.
Care Coordination and Pregnancy Support

Pregnancy Support

There are two pregnancy centers in Lakeland, Options for Women and A Woman's Choice. Both offer pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, women’s wellness exams, STD testing, and more. If the STD test is positive, clients are referred to the Florida Health Department, where they can receive free treatment for the infection.

A doctor in a white coat shows a tablet to a smiling pregnant woman who is touching her stomach. They are in a bright medical office with plants in the background.
Women's Health

Medical Care

Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine is a volunteer-run medical clinic that provides free, quality medical care to the working uninsured populations in Polk County. Services include primary care, diagnostics, pharmacy, mental health, dental, and vision care.

A person hands a bowl of food to another at an outdoor event, with multiple bowls of food and people in the background.
Material or Legal Support

Food Assistance

Through the Dream Center of Lakeland, churches can easily develop and host a food pantry as part of the ‘Adopt-a-Block' initiative. This is a community-based initiative designed to combat food insecurity throughout Polk County by partnering with a wide range of churches and organizations.

View all Lakeland Community Resources in the Directory
View Resources

Where help is still needed

Every community has areas where more support is needed. These are the gaps Her PLAN and local leaders in Lakeland are actively working to address and where your involvement can make a real difference.

Domestic Violence

Support for domestic violence and assault survivors is missing

Lakeland has no domestic violence or sexual assault support programs or resources. One More Child does offer an anti-trafficking awareness program, but it is the only one like it in the area.

Grief

No support for grieving parents

There are no miscarriage or infant loss support programs or resources.

Medical Care

Limited affordable prenatal care options

While there are two pregnancy centers in Lakeland, neither offer high level medical care. While Florida has a high number of OBGYNs, there are few options for prenatal care for uninsured mothers.

Housing

Stable housing options are extremely limited

While providers such as Lighthouse Ministries and Talbot offer emergency housing, Lakeland lacks transitional housing and affordable housing options that are desperately needed for abortion-vulnerable moms.

Childcare

Limited affordable and flexible childcare options

Lakeland lacks affordable childcare as well as weekend and evening childcare options. Recently, Better Together stepped up to provide temporary childcare to parents interviewing for jobs or who have recently started jobs and are waiting for state childcare vouchers to kick in – a win for working moms in Polk County.

Transportation

Getting around is a barrier for moms here

While Lakeland does offer public transportation, it is often unreliable for abortion-vulnerable moms and does not reach the more rural parts of the county.

Community Partners

These are Her PLAN’s anchor organizations in Lakeland. Local organizations committed to working alongside Her PLAN to strengthen the pro-life safety net for moms.

Click to view in directory.

Get Involved

Connect with Florida
Community Development Coordinator Ava Winkler

Connect with Florida <br />
Community Development Coordinator Ava Winkler

Pathways are structured engagement journeys aligned with HerPlan’s seven care categories.

Recommend a Provider

Recommend a Provider

At the local level, Her PLAN builds community coalitions made up of public officials, charities, ministries, businesses, and individuals.