Welcome, 40 Days for Life volunteers, to New Haven’s SPRING/LENT 2025 Campaign!
I am glad you are joining the ongoing battle to make abortion unthinkable in America. This SPRING/LENT 2025 campaign is different in that now we are living in a post-Roe time in history that is full of promise and hope for our precious unborn. This is the most important thing you can do now since the battle goes back to the local level and the states are where we need to fight.
About us: 40 Days for Life presents a local solution to the abortion crisis. Our Vision: 40DFL is a focused pro life campaign with a vision to access God’s power through prayer, fasting, community outreach and peaceful vigils to end abortion. It is so beautiful as a local leader to see volunteers show up and be witness no matter the heat, rain and the snow. We are missionaries in our own town to women considering abortion. There is no greater joy than to see a baby be spared from abortion. The vigil has an impact that most of it you will never see but know that it is detrimental to the bottom-line of the abortion business. Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood director, said the no show abortion appointment rate goes as high as 75% when people are praying outside.
Prayer is the engine that fuels this campaign. 40 Days for Life volunteers are lawfully assembling in peaceful and prayerful vigils on the public sidewalk outside Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, 345 Whitney Avenue where they have the right of way.
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England or now also called "New Haven Center" offers both SURGICAL ABORTION and MEDICAL ABORTION(mifepristone, followed by misoprostol up to 48 hours later. Mifepristone is a medication that blocks progesterone activity in a female's body.
Yale Medicine and its affiliated Yale Health provide abortions "service" to all Yale Health members and all Yale students. (For students it is part of Yale Health Basic Student Health Services).
Yale Fellows in Complex Family Planning give referrals for patients wanting an abortion. They also train med students in both inpatient and outpatient settings at Yale New Haven Hospital. They also train at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England to do abortions. (https://medicine.yale.edu/obgyn/education/fellowships/family-planning/)
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) has 17 health centers across Connecticut and Rhode Island and is the largest provider of abortions in Connecticut. Fellows can train clinically at PPSNE and have "the opportunity" to collaborate with PPSNE in research and programs, tapping into its large clinical volume and research infrastructure.....Yikes!
Planned Parenthood Hours:
Monday 9 am - 5 pm
Tuesday 9 am - 5 pm
Wednesday 8 am - 6 pm (ABORTION DAY)
Thursday 10 am - 5 pm
Friday 8 am - 4 pm (ABORTION DAY)
Saturday 8 am - 2 pm
Sunday Closed
We pray even if Planned Parenthood office hours are closed because we are giving witness of LIFE to the community on their way to work or school and plainting seeds to change hearts and minds.
Where do I have to meet everyone?
*If you are a new volunteer, it’s best to use the buddy system and bring a friend, or even better bring a group of friends.
Our vigil localtion is HUGE! it's a "U" shape sidewalk around a full block so It depends. Some volunteers are coming to support a Day Captain that is leading by adopting one DAY for us from the 40 Days for their parish or organization, so if you were invited by a Day Captain contact them and ask them where to find them so you can pray with your group. If you are joining us a "walk-in" volunteer ......then that's easy, just pick anywhere! Some people don't like to hold still and rather they like to cover all the ground by praying the rosary and walking back and forth.....that's OK! Many weekly commited prayer warriors tend to gravitate to pray close to the big blue Planned Parenthood sign and so they meet on the corner of Edwards St. and Whitney Ave. Some volunteers want to pray by the driveway and that's OK too ( don't let anyone tell bully you to belive otherwise) just know you will not be the only ones on abortion appointment days (WED & FRI) and other ProLife oraganizations show up there too on the frontlines trying to save babies!
My best advise to those that want to pray close to the Planned Parenthood driveway:
*YES ! You may choose to sidewalk counsel women that are driving into the driveway on their way to their abortion appointment if you feel you are being called to do so but I highly highly advised that you first get briefed by experienced volunteers that do sidewalk advocacy and get a bit trained on the basics before you start that super important ministry. To get trained there are many ways to go about this but my top 2 recomended programs are
#1 - 40 Days for Life's online SIDEWALK OUTREACH ( 40daysforlife.com/university ) if you are interested in gaining confidence and tools to handle the most important conversation in the world. For $29 you get online access to this six-module training course provides you with everything you need to offer help and hope to abortion facility clients. If you can get a group of 5 or more to meet in person and a place to host so to take this course together I can get you a discount of $20 per person.
#2 - Sidewalk Advocates for Life (SAFL) in person training program. New Haven is blessed to have a very commited SAFL- Coordinator, she organizes in person training workshops year round.Sidewalk Advocates for Life wear a blue vest. If you are interested and want to shadow them to learn how to be a sidewalk counselor, hopefully leading to signing-up on their schedule to cover the driveway or even if you want to be a driveway prayer partner to them just ask me if you are interested on their course training and I would be happy to connect you to SAFL and/or give you more information.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR MY 40 DAYS FOR LIFE VOLUNTEERS:
If you arrive and no one is there from your group and you are alone but you see a sidewalk advocate is present at the same time that you are having your prayer vigil you are welcomed to say hello and do a quick self-introduction to let the sidewalk advocate know you are there to pray with 40 Days for Life and then move on but Do Not “crowd” the sidewalk advocates because their focus is to catch cars coming in and out and if they get distracted they could miss someone. It is easier for them to approach a client heading into Planned Parenthood if they can do it one-on-one. Please don’t attempt to join in the conversation when a sidewalk counselor is speaking with a Planned Parenthood client. We have found that one-on-one conversations are the most effective. You are always welcome to stay and be a prayer partner to a sidewalk advocate/counsel in proximity to the driveway. Sidewalk Advocates for Life wear a blue vest.
SIGNS & GEAR:
40 Days for Life has put much reasearch and effort to have the right message on their signs, the right font, the right color the right size. And as part of 40 Days for Life, we want to convey the hope of a better way: How can we help you? There is free help for you; We are praying for you. We care about you.They are a great tool and have been shown to really work to save lives....so use them!
If you don't feel comfortable you don't have to hold a sign, but remember that we don't want other people to mistake the real reason we are praying outhere. For example, we don't want people to assume we are praying the rosary while we wait for the bus at the stop!!!.... No we don't right?!..... so I understand it can be scary the first time holding a sign in public but know it's really important to let our New Haven community why we are there....we PRAY TO END ABORTION !!! It's a small sacrifice Moreover, you are giving a voice to the voiceless, the unborn.
We also have signs tailored towards the abortion workers! Abby Johnson is the CEO and Founder of "And Then There Were None" that we are in collaboration with 40 Days for Life. Abby challenges us to focus all to empower our local abortion workers to quit! We want to be those loving open arms to get them to walk out from the abortion industry. I have some signs that say "YOU DON"T HAVE TO WORK HERE" we can use. We on the sidewalk need to just remember that if anyone of us here ever interacts with an abortion worker, our job as a 40 Days for Life prayer volunteer is to pray and redirect this worker to Abby's organization at ABORTIONWORKER.COM and I can print some cards from ATTWN with this info to give out to the workers. A stat that Abby recently put out: “38% of [abortion workers] have suicidal ideation after they leave the clinic, 18% of them attempt suicide...It’s not normal for your job to be to piece back together the bodies of babies. But that’s quite normal in an abortion clinic.”
*Please don’t bring signs that have a condemning message; these signs do not have a positive effect on Planned Parenthood clients. We discourage graphic signs with abortion victims. Our charism is peaceful, prayerful & law-abiding vigils. Gestational baby growth developmental signs are OK, life is beautiful.
I only have limited vigil signs so I can only let you borrow signs if you would like, or it would be best if you can buy them on the 40daysforlife.com/gear website and this way you can keep them with you in your car if you plan to return to pray.
Also check this website if you want to gear up with anything you need to be successful during the campaign such as heavy-duty vigil signs, t-shirts, umbrellas, hats and much more
*Do dress appropriately for the weather. Bring comfortable shoes. Bring an umbrella and rain coat for rainy days. Bring tissues for runny nose during cold days, and water or halls for dry throat on windy days. Sunscreen on sunny days.
Parking:
There is some free street parking available. Download the New Haven Free Parking document next under “Resources” to view my parking map. For GPS, enter Planned Parenthood's address and that will bring you within 2 blocks of all the suggested parking sites. Once you get to PP, it's just a matter of finding an open street parking spot on any side street or nearby. Be aware not to park on permit zone parking spots. The parking lot of St. Joseph Church is also available a short walk away (0.4 mi / 9 min walking)
To view free parking map use Google My Maps link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1q996MI-Dphfhpr4QXoyQawiWUahY850&usp=sharing
Restrooms and Facilities:
Ivana Solsbery, Director of "In Our Blessed Mother's Arms" has generously offered her bathroom for any 40 Days for Life prayer volunteers. This pregnancy family center is across the street at 340 Whitney Ave, New Haven, CT 06511. Please call her first to check if she is there (203) 886-6736
There are multiple eateries in the area. The Poppy’s Coffee and Kitchen is a breakfast /coffee shop adjacent to Planned Parenthood on Whitney Ave. and is open 7am-4 pm Tues-Sunday, closed on Mondays.
St. Joseph Church has a small bathroom in the narthex. Front door might be locked at times.
Buffer Zone and Bubble Zone, Stament of Peace, Emergency Operations Plan:
There is currently no buffer zone in Connecticut. This is good, means there is no law that can force us to stay an arbitrary number of feat away. Still, you may not obstruct the entrance to any place of business.
****Please remember to review and follow the guidance the Statement of Peace then SIGN electronically our Statement of Peace. The more people read it and agree to it the safer we all are because we are all agreeing to be on the same page and be peaceful and prayerful volunteers.The SOP document gets updated year to year, so if you know you signed it in the past, go ahead and read the updated version, sign it again and submit the new one. Please know that I can see who signed it and who has failed to do so, and as a Campaign Leader I can remove volunteers that are not following our ways **** Statement of Peace link: www.40daysforlife.com/newhaven/sop
SAFETY FIRST Read the 40 Days for Life Emergency Operations Plan at http://40daysforlife.com/eop to review the best safety practices as well as the political activities policy.
stay safe, always. - Try to have at least two vigil participants. - Never be alone after dark. - Conduct the vigil in a safe and public or otherwise lawful location. - If you feel threatened, leave and call the police. - If your path is blocked, call the police. - If you are touched, call the police. - If you can safely do so, photograph/film events. - If the police arrive, be polite and cooperative. - If you are ordered to leave by a competent governmental authority, do so and contact the 40 Days for Life campaign leader first so to inform our headquarters. - Do not trespass. - Do not threaten. - Do not touch others. - Do not display or discuss weapons. - Do not curse. - Do not block anyone's path/right of way. - Obey all laws.
Here are some extra guidelines:
Please Do....
*Do stay on the sidewalk and make way for pedestrians. One can stand on the public grass area closest to the avenue or on the public sidewalk.
* Chatting is ok because friendships can be forged out on the sidewalk but also make an effort to stay focused on prayer while at the vigil. To help you in your vigil prayer time, here is the link to 40 Days for Life Devotional Daily: https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/resources-devotionals.aspx
*Think of how you present yourself - you represent the pro-life movement. Make sure you project peace, love, and hope. Be approachable. Smile. Be courteous and friendly to passersby on the sidewalk. Provide a resource to those who want dialogue. Carry with you some 40 Days for Life flyers in case you need them to invite some passerby that shows interest, after all we are trying to change hearts and minds and grow our presence.
*You may do community outreach if you feel comfortable. Use common sense. You can carry with you our pamflet on "What is Abortion Pill" or our list of local pregnancy resources centers, or information about baby development, Abortion Pill Reversal (877)558-0333 , or abortionworker.com ATTWN cards.
*If you arrive at your vigil time and find you are the only participant, do contact your Day Captain or the Campaign Leader (Mariana) first to ask if they can join you. If local leaders can’t join you then you can pray inside your car or if you feel comfortable staying alone to pray just text your day captain or campaign leader, so they know. When you plan to come out try to invite multiple prayer partners so that in case someone in the group cancels the scheduled vigil can continue.
*Follow any instructions given by the police. Be polite and cooperative with law enforcement and valid civil authority. If asked to leave by a valid authority, please comply and make sure to alert the local campaign leader (Mariana) to any threats or confrontations.
*If you feel threatened or endangered, do immediately call 911 law enforcement and record any incident of violence or if damage is done to your property. This is extremely rare.
Please Do Not...
*Do not enter the parking lot on foot or step on their lawn. This is considered by Planned Parenthood to be trespassing, and they will respond accordingly. Don’t block the sidewalk. Don’t go on the road. It's best to have a prayer partner with you if you plan to do Sidewalk Advocacy to have a witness back you up.
*Do not engage with group of counter-protestors. Our mission is silent prayer for these parties. Do not threaten, curse, yell at or verbally abuse anyone. Don't speak angrily or disrespectfully ...no matter how others may speak to you. Sometimes silence is the best response.
*Don’t engage with the media if you are not prepared to do so. Not expecting coverage.
*Don’t leave anything behind and make sure to clean up all the vigil posters and flyers after leaving. Keep the vigil site clean and free of litter.
*Don’t be intimidated; you have the right to be on the public sidewalk if you are quiet, respectful, and courteous.
As we try to grow a culture of love it’s always good to get well versed in our local pregnancy resources, so please remember to have while on the sidewalk local referral contact info to Pregnancy Centers for free Pregnancy Tests, Sonograms, counseling, and material assistance! Save on your phone as a new contact: (877)558-0333 Abortion Pill Reversal.com in case you meet someone that changed their mind after taking the abortion pill, there is hope now to reverse the abortion, but time is of the essence. Check out some links next under resources.
For any questions, please call/text me/email me. Text works best for me.
Go forward, be not afraid! Let’s show moms they are not alone.
-Mariana
New Haven Campaign Leader
