Advancing a culture of life in our communities.
OUR MISSION
To inspire all women to embrace their inherent dignity and to enable pregnant women to choose life for their children.
OUR VISION
To be a trusted source for the continuum of pro-life services in our community.
OUR VALUES
OUR HISTORY
A Better Choice opened on June 7, 1993 in direct response to the closing of Abate Abortion, a pregnancy crisis center founded and supported by the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Five of the Abate Abortion volunteers, Jennifer Hickerson, Eileen O’Hara, Veronica Otte, Mary Ann Skolaut, and Eileen Zeitler knew it was time for the laity to rise to the challenge of this unique ministry and founded a new but similar organization. Eileen Zeitler was chosen to serve as Executive Director.
Our first task was to select a name. We wanted it to begin with the letter “A” to assure a first place in the phone book, and it was decided to use “choice” somewhere in the name. In a matter of minutes Jennifer Hickerson suggested “A Better Choice.” Thinking our task would take hours to come to completion, we praised the Holy Spirit for giving us our title almost instantly!
We had been praying and fasting since March and making daily intercession to St. Joseph pleading for guidance and obedience. Mary Kay Boleski and Eileen Zeitler opened as scheduled on June 7 and waited. After two hours two young college girls arrived. One was pregnant and was scheduled for an abortion at George Tiller’s abortion clinic later in the week. The other was a girl who had visited us previously when we were Abate Abortion. This friend knew we were pro life and had convinced her pregnant friend to at least visit with us, and to hear what we had to say before she kept her appointment to see Dr. Tiller. After talking with Mary Kay and viewing some positive videos, she decided to give life to her baby. We knew that this change of heart from our very first client was affirmation from God that we were doing His will and walking in obedience to His word.
In 1996 the City of Wichita notified us that the property we leased on Kellogg was condemned to make way for road expansion. After a thorough investigation we purchased property at 3007 E. Central, next door to Wichita Family Planning, the other abortion clinic in Wichita. We closed on the property in late April.
The entire renovation project of the new building was completed in less than six weeks! The staff at Wichita Family Planning never knew that a pregnancy crisis center was moving next door until our signs went up on July 3, 1996.
Throughout the next two decades, A Better Choice was led by executive directors Vanessa Baker (2000-2004), Vallarie Eades (2004-2018), and Valerie Alexander (2018-2022).
Dr. Janet Klingele volunteered to offer sonogram services in January of 2002. Allowing the mothers to see their unborn babies in the womb was a huge asset to our mission and multiplied the number of mothers who chose life for their babies.
In 2006, the abortion clinic next door to the ministry closed its doors for good, but the need was still great to help mothers in need, so we stayed and continued to provide our services. Two abortion clinics still continue to operate in Wichita.
In 2018, renovations were completed on the next-door building that was a former dentist’s office. The new building is dedicated to our sonogram program and storage. Bishop Carl Kemme blessed the building on October 11, 2018.
In 2020, we created a Resource Management program, hiring a licensed social worker who was completely dedicated to our clients with the highest needs. Under her case management, clients have help in obtaining housing, employment, sobriety, custody, safety, and other benefits.
2020 also saw a global pandemic, and A Better Choice proudly continued its services through the entirety of the months of lockdown. We pivoted to provide counseling by phone and assistance and resources in a curbside model. With shortages of wipes and formula and rising numbers of abortions and domestic violence, our services were truly essential to the mothers of Wichita during this challenging time.
In 2021, renovations were completed on our main building which had not had any major updates since 1996. Simpson Construction replaced flooring, walls, and windows and made our space beautiful, safe, modern, and practical.
OUR FUTURE
In 2021, we expanded our online footprint with the introduction of Google Ads. Our number of abortion-minded clients multiplied by 5 with these ads and we fielded many inquiries from out-of-state after the repeal of Roe v. Wade and the failure of the Value Them Both amendment in 2022. We continue to learn and adapt to the ever-changing frontier of the clients who find us online.
Cheryl Barnard became our new executive director in 2022. She brings a pure pro-life passion to the ministry and we are excited for our future under her leadership.
Our future has never looked brighter as we currently have a staff of 7 employees and over 40 volunteers. We celebrate our 30th anniversary with humility and gratitude that God has blessed our work for three decades and has saved thousands of lives by calling us to this ministry. Thank you for your part of our history, by including us in your prayers, donations, and volunteering.