Two communities in Florida commit to strengthening the pro-life safety net for families in the Sunshine State.
In October, two communities in Central Florida — Lakeland and Osceola — showed their support for moms and babies facing complex needs.
Her Community Lakeland officially launched in February 2026, dedicated to reducing barriers and gaps in care for families in Polk County. Through projects such as opening an expanded baby boutique and offering temporary childcare for single moms waiting for childcare vouchers, the coalition has dedicated attention to all seven Categories of Care that make up the pro-life safety net. But now they wanted to tackle one of the four biggest needs Her PLAN has identified across partner states: transportation.
In most parts of America, a reliable car is necessary for finding and holding down a job, getting groceries, seeing a doctor, going to church — the list goes on. Without a car, a vulnerable woman may be dependent on expensive Uber or Lyft rides, if those options are even available in her area. Unreliable transportation with frequent car issues leads to missed work, eventually leading to job loss. If she is struggling to put food on the table for her kids or gas in the car, oil changes and needed repairs are at the bottom of her financial priorities. While Lakeland does offer public transportation, it is often unreliable and does not reach the more rural parts of the county.
To respond to the critical transportation need, Her Community Lakeland hosted a car maintenance day in collaboration with Better Together and Heritage Baptist Church. More than 30 moms received oil changes, minor repairs, or vouchers to be redeemed for service later from four local mechanics: Bartow Ford, A & D Repair Center, Chuck’s Garage, and Christian Brothers Automotive. Students in the Heritage Baptist youth group volunteered to wash cars when the mechanics had completed the service.
While cars were repaired and cleaned, moms entered the church lobby to connect with other resources dedicated to families including Better Together, Hannah’s Hope baby boutique, Oak City Biblical Counseling, and Moody Radio. Options for Women Pregnancy Center medical staff provided free STI testing for mothers. Addressing transportation issues is the main purpose of a car maintenance day, but the event provides an opportunity for more providers to connect with moms who could benefit from the support they offer. “We want to meet moms where they’re at and fill gaps with community resources,” said Florida Community Development Director Ava Winkler.
The following week, another group of Floridians united in dedication to helping vulnerable families. Her Community Osceola hosted its official kickoff luncheon at Cornerstone Family Church in St. Cloud, offering local pro-life leaders and providers the opportunity to learn about the Her Community model and how their organizations can get involved.
Executive Director Autumn Christensen opened the kickoff by highlighting who the abortion vulnerable woman is: often a twenty-something single mother living below the poverty line who likely already has older children. Despite Florida’s life-saving laws protecting life after six weeks gestation, over 48,000 abortions were performed in 2025. More than half were the result of abortion drugs, whose dangerous rise threaten abortion-vulnerable women even in pro-life states and now constitute over 63% of all abortions in the United States.
Following the official kickoff, audience members were invited to attend a monthly workshop series which will break down gaps in care and allow the community to brainstorm sustainable solutions — potentially a car maintenance day like their sister Her Community in Lakeland.
Across two localities in Central Florida, individuals and organizations are dedicated to responding to the needs of families by building a vibrant, strong pro-life safety net ready to wrap them in support. They are responding to what Christensen described as their ultimate mission: “That is our call in a Her Community, that a woman can be the great mom she can be and wants to be.”
Are you local to Florida? Become a part of the pro-life safety net. View the resources available in your area on Her PLAN’s directory and connect with Florida Community Development Director Ava Winkler to help empower mothers and babies with the support they need to thrive.
