Governor Inslee, Mayor Murray, Seattle City Council and King County Council Sign Proclamations Honoring Planned Parenthood

PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST AND THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
PLANNED PARENTHOOD VOTES NORTHWEST AND HAWAII
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 20, 2016
Contact: Katie Rogers, Communications Manager, 206-328-7705

Governor Inslee, Mayor Murray, Seattle City Council and King County Council Sign Proclamations Honoring Planned Parenthood

SEATTLE – In honor of Planned Parenthood’s 100th anniversary on October 16, Governor Jay Inslee, Mayor Ed Murray, Seattle City Council and the King County Council honored Planned Parenthood with signed proclamations celebrating a century of reproductive health care. 

“Breakthroughs in family planning by Planned Parenthood are amongst the biggest economic and social advancements of the past century, leading to cultural shifts such as women becoming nearly half of the U.S. workforce, the sole or primary breadwinners in 40 percent of U.S. homes, and more than half of all American college students, and that these advancements have transformed the fabric of our society for the better,” wrote Governor Jay Inslee.

“Today we honor Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands, particularly our five Seattle health centers, for all they do in our community, and we celebrate Planned Parenthood’s 100 years of success. We are proud to stand with Planned Parenthood and the work they do to protect the ability and right of women to make their own health decisions in our community.” wrote Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle City Council.

“Planned Parenthood’s commitment to offer care and resources, from abortion to the preventive care that makes up 96 percent of the services it provides, has remained an essential thread in the fabric of society over the past century, and is stronger than ever as Planned Parenthood enters into its second century ready to assist millions of women, men, and young people in accessing the healthcare they need and deserve, no matter who they are or where they live,” wrote the King County Council. 

For the past century, Planned Parenthood has transformed sexual and reproductive health care and empowered millions of people worldwide to make informed health care decisions, forever changing the way they live, love, learn and work. From this single clinic in Brooklyn, Planned Parenthood has now grown to approximately 650 health centers across the country, including 35 in Washington state.

“It is clear that Washington takes its leadership in women’s health care seriously,” said Chris Charbonneau, CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands (PPGNHI). “We are fortunate in Washington to have elected leaders who stand with Planned Parenthood, fight for women and protect access to family planning resources. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our patients, staff, supporters, advocates and local officials to usher in our next 100 years.”                   

PPGNHI Islands provides reproductive health care services for more than 120,000 patients in Washington state. Ninety-five percent of Planned Parenthood patients receive family planning services. Additionally, in 2015 Planned Parenthood’s education and outreach programs deliver sexuality and family planning education to more than 16,629 teens, women and men, with programs including middle and high school responsible sexuality courses, parent-child communication programs, and teen education programs. 

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Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands is the region's leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. The organization operates 28 health centers in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, and Western Washington and provides medical services and sexuality education for thousands of women, men, and teenagers each year. Planned Parenthood is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and relies heavily on charitable donations to ensure our patients' ability to determine their own destinies and receive the health care they need.
Planned Parenthood Votes Northwest and Hawaii (PPVNH) is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization educating residents and policy-makers about reproductive health issues in Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Hawaii. PPVNH lobbies and educates to advance Planned Parenthood's mission and also engages in limited electoral activities.