Empty, clear plastic baby bottles have become an important tool in the pro-life fundraising effort.
One of the primary users is A Best Choice Mobile Ultrasound & Pregnancy Resource Center, which operates a 25-foot RV as part of its mission to reach pregnant women wavering whether to have the baby.
This nonprofit, which also uses a letter of support from Bishop Michael F. Burbidge as part of its fundraising, has collaborated with around 15 pastors in recent years to pass out baby bottles to weekend churchgoers.
The most recent distribution was on Mother’s Day at St. Timothy Church in Chantilly, with volunteers from the Knights of Columbus St. Timothy Council No. 7369.
Baby bottles filled with coins, checks or cash were collected over the next two weekends during the Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses. The total as of June 8 is $18,668.
Other volunteers included the American Heritage Girls at Sacred Heart Church in Manassas, parish pro-life groups, a CCD program and a homeschool group. Parish elementary schools at Holy Spirit in Annandale and Holy Family in Dale City have also done baby bottle drives.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Lake Ridge included A Best Choice among four pregnancy centers that benefited from its baby bottle drive.
The St. Timothy Knights of Columbus do a baby bottle drive for the Paul Stefan Foundation on alternating years with A Best Choice. The foundation operates a group residence for unwed mothers in Orange.
Two years ago, the baby bottle drive at St. Timothy received a $17,362 matching grant from the national office of the Knights of Columbus, enabling A Best Choice to purchase a new RV and an ultrasound machine.
Father David Meng, who has served as pastor of St. Timothy for the past nine years, praised the work of Angela Clark, the founder and director of A Best Choice.
“What a beautiful effort, a beautiful opportunity this is for us to share in the magnificent work of life,” Father Meng said. “I’m very proud of Angela for what she does, and the generosity of the Knights in coordinating this effort to allow us all to assist in such a beautiful work.”
On a recent Sunday, Dorothy Miracle dropped off a baby bottle with her check inside on her way to Mass at St. Timothy.
Miracle had placed the bottle on a table at home, where she was certain to see it before heading out to Mass. “I think it’s good because it’s visual,” she said. “You see it, and it reminds you. I think it’s a good, good way to try to get money to help these moms.”
Clark said the baby bottle drives are important to her fundraising efforts, but other parishes make donations part of their tithing. All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas donates $500 each quarter. The Knights of Columbus at St. John Neuman Church in Reston donated the proceeds from a parish breakfast. St. Thomas à Becket in Reston did a mitten drive.
Tumulty is a freelancer in Centreville.
How to help
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