FAQs

We are here to help

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions about our program.  Email us at info@sidewalkadvocates.org, if you would like to learn more.

Sidewalk advocacy refers to crisis intervention on the public right-of-way at the abortion facility. It involves actively encouraging a woman to choose life, empowering her to leave, and reaching out to all present to bring about a conversion of heart from a culture of death to a culture of life, thereby ending abortion.

Traditionally known as “sidewalk counseling,” the term sidewalk advocacy emphasizes the peaceful, prayerful, law-abiding methods of this ministry with love as its centerpiece.

In short — ABSOLUTELY! Our team has extensive experience in sidewalk advocacy, offering loving alternatives in a variety of scenarios. We have seen abundant miracles when people pray and peacefully reach out. Many of us have kept in touch with mothers we have served, and some of us have actually met the children who have been saved by God’s grace!

Quite often, the only thing a woman in an unexpected pregnancy needs to hear is, “We’re here to help you.” Our comprehensive training, tools, and support program equips your community with effective tips and strategies to meet the woman where she is and to be the gateway to life-affirming resources.

Are there people who refuse to take your offer of help? Certainly. But we believe that it still makes a difference that we are there to pray for those families and for the preborn children in our community.

Looking across the country, there are a handful of prevalent methods that have proved very effective. We are incredibly grateful for all those who have helped to develop modern, peaceful sidewalk counseling methodology. Studying these methods, the main thing that they hold in common is this: reach her heart, and help fill the need(s) that brought her (and others with her) to the abortion facility. Thus, we take a very woman-oriented approach to sidewalk advocacy, believing that we cannot save preborn children without also helping their mothers and families.

Sidewalk Advocates for Life offers a comprehensive training program — meaning, we discuss how to serve at the abortion center in a variety of scenarios. We provide a variety of real-life examples in the training, and of course, we offer ongoing, full time, staff support so you can be as effective as possible.

To summarize, we cover the following topics in the video training:

  • Introduction / Module 1: The Battle for Life
  • Module 2: Your Mission
  • Module 3: Understanding the Heart of a Woman in Crisis
  • Module 4: Understanding the Abortion Industry
  • Module 5: Outreach to an Abortion-Minded Woman
  • Module 6: Outreach to a Companion
  • Module 7: Outreach in Special Cases
  • Module 8: Outreach in Non-Abortion Situations
  • Module 9: Outreach After Abortion
  • Module 10: Outreach to Abortion Workers / Epilogue

It is critically important that we reach abortion-vulnerable women and men with local, life-affirming resources in every community.  If there is no abortion facility in your area, we recommend starting an SAFL location outside your local abortion-referral facility — that is a facility (typically a Planned Parenthood) that refers pregnant clients for abortions elsewhere (possibly across state lines if abortion is illegal in your state). 

If there is no abortion or abortion-referral facility in your area, your team could partner with a local pregnancy resource center or mobile unit to promote their services outside their location, at another central location in the community, or through a door-to-door outreach campaign. We are happy to assist you with customizing an outreach plan particular to your community.

TWO WORDS – NO WAY!

We find that the most effective way to reach a woman’s heart is to be peaceful, prayerful, and law-abiding; literally loving her into another place. We don’t want that woman to just ‘not choose abortion,’ but we want to plant seeds for a real change of heart that is lasting and impacts her forever. If that woman doesn’t trust you in the short time that you have with her, she will often run the other direction … right into the abortion facility! Your goal is to win people over so that they will be open to your message. Abortion is always a tragedy, but the way in which we deliver that message is incredibly important, lest we lose hearts along the way.

Our goal is ALWAYS to be an example in the way that we conduct ourselves on the sidewalk. This peaceful method has documented thousands of lives saved and souls impacted over the past several years on the sidewalk.

No, Sidewalk Advocates for Life recognizes that people are very busy. Your local sidewalk advocacy program leaders will schedule Sidewalk Advocates in front of the abortion facility depending on everyone’s schedule and availability.

Since there is no more important work than defending God’s children, any time that you can spend on the sidewalk utilizing the training that we provide and bearing witness to the dignity of every human life is vitally important and very much appreciated.

One of our great passions is bringing together the Body of Christ to stand for the greatest gift we have apart from Christ Himself – that is, the gift of life. This isn’t a task for one church, one movement, one leader or even one ministry, but a universal call to “speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves” (cf. Proverbs 31:8-9) and to “defend those being led to the slaughter” (cf. Proverbs 24:11).

In the past several years, we have seen incredible growth in this area, as those who don’t always see eye-to-eye theologically are willing to stand together on the sidewalk to love our preborn brothers and sisters and their families. We believe that anytime we find ways to work together to save lives, it pleases our Lord (cf. John 17).

We have carefully constructed the training to be compatible with Christian teaching and a Judeo-Christian ethic. This means that our spiritual advisors from various denominations (Catholic and Protestant) have let us know that they find there is nothing in the training that conflicts with Christian doctrine. Similarly, our staff and Board of Directors takes this very seriously, as we do not want to do anything to violate our faith and conscience. We constantly evaluate the program to be sure that we honor the Lord in everything that we do, and that our methods are welcoming to those from all different walks.

It is our hope and prayer that all Christians and those who choose to share in this mission will recognize the urgency of this call and respond generously in love.

Yes, there is a first-time application fee of $150 to start a program with opportunities to periodically renew for 6 months or 1 – 3 years for only $12.50/month. This covers our comprehensive training, tools, and full-time support. For more details visit “What We Offer” or reach out to our Programs Team here.

JOIN an existing location! Visit our Locations page to connect with the program leader in your community and get information on the next training. If there isn’t a Sidewalk Advocates for Life location near you, perhaps God is calling you to lead the program in your community. Contact us and we’re happy to answer any questions and help in your discernment.

Our goal is simply to start with one abortion facility and gradually build up to two Sidewalk Advocates present (welcoming any prayer partners, as well) during every hour the abortion or abortion-referral facility is open (with the possibility that some may find it advantageous to arrive early or stay late to serve those entering/leaving the abortion center). Many program leaders equate the amount of time given to that of a passionate hobby.

In short, YES! We are a year-round program, if you choose. We would love the honor of serving you year-round, but life happens and we understand. If you need to take a break for a time for personal reasons, we’re happy to accommodate.  

Note: Communities that are only attached to a geographic area seasonally — such as a student or university group — may tailor the timeline to work for them. (Contact our team with any questions you may have!)

Communities that are only attached to a geographic area seasonally (such as a student or university group) may tailor the timeline to work for them. Contact our team with any questions you may have.

In short, it depends on a variety of factors – this will be part of your discernment process.

Our advice before applying to lead a Sidewalk Advocates for Life location in your community is to, first, see if there is any peaceful sidewalk outreach already happening at your local abortion facility. If there is already a group there, get to know who they are, when they are out there, and what their goals are. We admonish you to approach community leaders in humility and brainstorm with them: Where are there gaps in the schedule? Are there hours, or possibly, other facilities in the area that are uncovered?

It could be that our program will work well with what they are already doing, and they may also welcome the additional training, tools, and support we offer. However, it could be that you risk infringing on a well-established program that is already experiencing great success. If there is already a peaceful, prayerful, and law-abiding, year-round, full-time presence at an abortion facility, we usually avoid setting up a program in the area.

Additionally, it could be that one group covers one abortion facility well in your area, but there are other abortion and abortion-referral facilities that are uncovered – and that maybe the best place to start.

If you want to discuss possibilities, please contact us, and we’re happy to brainstorm with you! At the end of the day, our prayer is that every abortion facility is covered by peaceful prayer and outreach, whether or not our program is the best fit for you.

Sidewalk Advocates for Life uniquely offers a comprehensive, year-round, 3-point sidewalk advocacy program: training, tools, and full-time staff support.  If we can be a blessing to you, we are honored to serve you!

No, our vision is that it will complement any peaceful, prayerful activity on the sidewalk. In fact, we have visited extensively with leaders who help others serve through prayer and ministry at the abortion facility, and they agree that this is not something that will thwart the success of current efforts.

Imagine that you have established a solid vigil or prayer presence in front of the abortion facility in your community – in other words, you have regular prayer volunteers coming to pray at the abortion center. While others are praying, those trained to be Sidewalk Advocates can peacefully and lovingly reach out to those entering the abortion facility. In fact, the Sidewalk Advocates can ask them for prayer, and the prayer volunteers can pray for every interaction from a short distance away. You see, the activity on the sidewalk is meant to complement and work well with any prayer presence.

In short, YES! Many have chosen to switch to our sidewalk advocacy program due to the ready-made, comprehensive training, tools and full-time staff support offered, besides the benefit of being joined to the Sidewalk Advocates for Life community and reputable, national identity!

However – as stated above – if you are new to sidewalk advocacy or there is another group already doing it in your local community, our advice is to get familiar with what’s already going on. It could be that our program will work well with what they are already doing, and they may also welcome the additional training, tools, and support we offer. However, it could be that you risk infringing on a well-established program that is already experiencing great success. If there is already a peaceful, prayerful, and law-abiding, year-round, full-time presence at an abortion facility, we usually avoid setting up a program in the area.

Additionally, it could be that one group covers one abortion facility well in your area, but there are other abortion and abortion-referral facilities that are uncovered – and that maybe the best place to start.

In short, if you want to discuss possibilities, please contact us, and we’re happy to brainstorm with you! At the end of the day, our prayer is that every abortion facility is covered by peaceful prayer and outreach, whether or not our program is the best fit for you.

Absolutely! We intended our sidewalk advocacy program to be run as a program or project in a local community, not as a separate 501(c)(3) organization. In fact, we ask local communities – as part of the application – to agree not to incorporate as a separate legal entity, so we don’t deal with legal complications later. You are welcome to run this program as volunteers, simply, in a local community, or to put this program under a right-to-life group, church, ministry, Diocese, or any group that believes in the sanctity of human life and agrees to run the program according to guidelines set forth in the training.

Once approved to run the program in your local community, you can designate yourself as “Sidewalk Advocates for Life -(city/town name)” or “SAFL-(city/town name),” for example.

The Sidewalk Advocates for Life program is a community-based model of outreach. Through God’s grace, Sidewalk Advocates for Life has witnessed communities transformed by organized teams of Sidewalk Advocates. This transformation requires at least a small group (minimum of 2) of trained Sidewalk Advocates working together. Our National Team will work with new program leaders to establish an outreach strategy designed specifically for their unique location, and existing locations receive regular support to adapt and update their strategy according to conditions on their sidewalk.

For this reason, it is not possible to be a Sidewalk Advocate on your own. In summary, only individuals who sign the Pledge of Integrity and complete our basic training with the intention of taking hours on the sidewalk at the approved location may call themselves a Sidewalk Advocate and use Sidewalk Advocates for Life materials.

We invite anyone interested in bringing Sidewalk Advocates for Life to their community to apply at sidewalkadvocates.org/apply — we’d be honored to serve you!  If you have questions about starting a location, please set up a call with our National Team at sidewalkadvocates.org/call.

Possibly! While we know the video training and workbook will do a phenomenal job of training you and interested community members, one of our team members might be able to give the training in person to your local community. However, with multiple communities and limited staff (as our organization grows), there’s no guarantee that we can get to you as soon as you desire. If interested, please contact us, and we thank you for your patience with us ahead of time!

Possibly! If interested, please complete the Speaker Form here, and we thank you for your patience with us ahead of time!

Help Us Help Her Choose Life!

Your gift will help us reach more cities, support more families, and save even more babies!

$250,000
$ 23,787
$ 23,787
$ 23,787$250,000

Every gift made through April 3 will be matched up to $250,000.

Prayer Contact Form

Prayer Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last

Job Application Contact Form

Job Application Contact Form

Your Name
Your Name

Maximum file size: 516MB

Maximum file size: 516MB

Maximum file size: 516MB

Reference 1: Name
Reference 1: Name
Reference 2: Name
Reference 2: Name
Reference 3: Name
Reference 3: Name

Programs Contact Form

Programs Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last

Communications Contact Form

Communications Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last

Media Contact Form

Media Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last

Development Contact Form

Development Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last

General Contact Form

General Contact Form

Name
Name
First
Last