“If we can save even one life, it will be worth the cost.”

How many times has this quote been heard in pregnancy centers? Often used to defend a program or service that is excessively expensive or to justify a program that didn’t meet expectations, it can be destructive to a Pregnancy Resource Center. Here’s why: 

In the for-profit world, businesses use a tool to determine if its product is meeting a need. It’s called the “bottom line” or “profit.” If the target market is not buying a product, the price, packaging, or even the product itself are changed. If the market still doesn’t want the product, the company either drops it and moves on, or faces bankruptcy.

The Pregnancy Resource Ministry does not have a “bottom line” or true market indicator to determine if a program is efficient, effective, and desired. Instead, centers often make decisions based upon intangibles and then may resort to, “If we can save even one life…” when program results are not satisfactory.

This excuse can prevent center leadership from making program improvements to meet market needs. Leaders must consistently evaluate programs to insure that the limited resources of the PRC are being used in the areas for greatest impact. Sometimes, this might mean eliminating a program in order to shift resources to something new.

Instead of striving to save just one life we should be asking “Where can we save the most lives?” It is then that your PRC will be able to determine the true value of its programs.