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Our History

In 1978

Faye Wattleton became the first female president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America since Margaret Sanger — and the first president of color. During her tenure, U.S. President Ronald Reagan passed policies opposing reproductive rights, including the devastating Global Gag Rule. Meanwhile, violent attacks against health centers escalated and Planned Parenthood facilities and health centers around the country became targets of arson, bombs, and other acts of violence.

By the late 1980s

It was clear to Wattleton that Planned Parenthood must become more political to keep its doors open and to preserve abortion rights at large. Wattleton launched Planned Parenthood Action Fund (PPAF) in 1989 as Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s advocacy arm. Since then, PPAF has led the Federation through the country’s toughest political battles over reproductive rights.

Fighting for Planned Parenthood Patients

Many of Planned Parenthood’s patients are people who have historically faced barriers to quality health care. Often, those patients are people of color, people who live in rural areas, LGBTQ people, people with low incomes, and people without health insurance. Without Planned Parenthood health centers, many of these patients may have no other place to turn to access safe and legal abortion — or preventive care like birth control, annual exams, and lifesaving cancer and STD screenings.

What We Do

We at PPAF fight back when anti-abortion politicians and their extremist allies try to outlaw abortion, take away access to affordable birth control, and block patients from care at Planned Parenthood health centers. We fight alongside our partners when the basic human rights of our patients, volunteers, supporters, activists, and staff of all races, faiths, genders, and identities are under attack.

Eighty Years Later

Planned Parenthood Arizona, Inc. has grown its operations to 7 health centers located across the state. Planned Parenthood Arizona, Inc. has continued providing high quality confidential health care and education. We have served four generations of Arizona families. We are known for our commitment to quality confidential services, accurate information, education and training, and social justice advocacy.