Ellie was sitting in the parking lot of Planned Parenthood when she called SHIFRA.
Even though Ellie and her husband both worked full time- they were literally counting pennies. Their older child had special needs which was stretching them thin financial and emotionally. When Ellie’s birth control failed, Ellie felt they couldn’t possibly afford another child. When she found out she was pregnant, abortion felt like the only option.
“When I spoke to her in the beginning she just gave me a safe space to feel what I was feeling and I was feeling a lot of different things and I was really worried I was going to be judged and she did not judge me. She was supportive and kind and she gave me the space to think about different possibilities. I thought I had everything planned out and that I knew all the future and all the things. There is truly not a day that goes by that I don’t look at my son and thank you so much to SHIFRA. Had it not been for SHIFRA I can’t tell you I wouldn’t have walked into that clinic.”
— Ellie
Real Help. Real Hope.
SHIFRA doesn’t offer pressure or judgment. We listen. And we offer support that’s as practical as it is compassionate.
That call changed everything. Ellie chose not to go through with the abortion.
Fran—a licensed mental health professional—continued working closely with Ellie to address her challenges one by one. The first step? Helping her feel confident in herself. SHIFRA provided maternity clothes suited to Ellie’s professional environment, which helped restore a sense of dignity and hope.
As Ellie and her husband began to envision life with a new baby, they identified their biggest barrier: space. They needed to turn a cluttered storage room into a nursery.
SHIFRA doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, the team tailors support to each family’s most urgent needs. For Ellie, that meant a grant to convert the storage space—adding lighting, ventilation, and everything needed to make it baby-ready. Her husband spent long hours doing the work himself, and SHIFRA covered the materials and specialized labor.
“There are no words to truly express my gratitude. We feel so blessed to have him in our lives. I can’t imagine life without him. He fills my heart with a joy I can’t explain.”
— Ellie
