1933: The Year It All Began

Franklin D. Roosevelt was sworn in as president. The 21st Amendment, repealing prohibition, was ratified. Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge began in San Francisco. A gallon of gas cost 10 cents! And the first medical center, which would later become affiliated with Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (PPHP), opened in Mount Vernon. The year was 1933.

Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic was born out of the passion of several small groups of women in Westchester, Rockland, Suffolk, and Putnam counties who saw a need for reproductive services for young women and mothers. They set their sights on improving the lives of these women who were struggling financially and who did not have access to birth control and other services that could help them and their families to live happier, healthier lives.

Funded entirely through donations of their own time and money, the work done by these women is the earliest documented evidence of the "planned parenthood" movement having reached Westchester County. It is from these small beginnings that Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic traces its early years. Over the course of our history, women's health centers opened in Rockland, Suffolk, and Putnam counties as well, born from the same compassion and desire to give women control over their reproductive futures.

PPHP has been impacted by cultural issues, political pressure, and health care developments, and we continue to expand and adapt to meet the changing needs of a diverse community. A growing number of individuals and families benefit from our high-quality health care, unbiased education, and persistent advocacy efforts. PPHP remains the trusted provider of these services and programs in our region.

In 2022, we provided more than 27,000 individuals with high-quality, compassionate care at 10 health centers across four counties. This is a long way from the 382 exams provided over a six-month period in 1935, according to an early report in Westchester.

PPHP is proud to be a provider of sexual and reproductive health care to women, men, transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary individuals in the region and is committed to ensuring everyone receives comprehensive and compassionate health care and information for many more years to come.