Ann Rose, Executive Director
For more information on NWHF, click here:
3613 Haworth Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 800-532-5383 P.O. Box 500788 Atlanta, Georgia 800-455-8130
National Women's Health Foundation
History of the Organizataion
The National Women's Health Organizaton (NWHO) has been in existence since 1976. NWHO's mission is to provide safe and compassionate abortion care to women. NWHO clinics have been plaintiffs in over 30 lawsuits in 20 years and have been at the forefront of the battle to keep reproductive services available. There have been 18 arsons, countless vandalisms and over 3,000 arrests of protestors at NWHO clinics. Since its inception, NWHO has provided abortion services to over 600,000 women in underserved areas, and low cost reproductive services to another 600,000 women.
Central Florida Women's Health Organization (CFWHO) opened in 1976. Up until 1995, this clinic was the largest clinic in the state of Florida. CFWHO has been a leader in the Orlando community in reproductive rights and has maintained the highest standard of care in the abortion services field. The clinic serves women from a ten-county radius, and currently focuses on reaching women in the smaller communities surrounding Orlando.
Columbus Women's Health Organization (CWHO) was opened in 1974 and was the first clinic in Georgia outside of Atlanta. It is still the only clinic in South Georgia, and it serves women from as far north as South Atlanta to Northern Florida. Dr. David Gunn, who was assasinated in Pensacola, Florida, was a clinic physician here when he was killed.
Delaware Women's Health Organization (DWHO) was opened in 1975, and was the first and ony clinic in the state for 10 years. For a time, it served South Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware. This clinic has always been strongly connected with the community and with local practicing OB-GYNs. This clinic was targeted very heavily in the 80's by anti-abortion extremists and had over 1000 protesters arrested. DWHO is a plaintiff in the national class action case against anti-abortion extremists, NOW v. Scheidler. DWHO, along with the Summit WHO and the National Organization for Women, won a jury verdict in April of 1998 against 5 anti-abortionists. This case has been in litigation for 13 years and has been appealed by the defendants.
Ft. Wayne Women's Health Organization (FWWHO) was opened in Indiana in 1978 and is the only abortion provider within a 2-hour radius. This clinic was the first clinic in Indiana that was outside of Indianapolis. FWWHO has been the victim of 3 arsons and there have been over 1,000 arrests of anti-abortionists trying to prevent women from entering FWWHO. In addition, the doctor is on the Nuremberg Files, the web site that a jury in Portland found to be a threat and not protected speech under the First Amendment.
Jackson Women's Health Organization (JWHO) was opened in January 1995 right after the shootings of clinic workers in Brookline, MA. As one of only two clinics in the state, it was targeted from the beginning by violent anti-abortion extremists for closure. In spite of this tumultous beginning, the clinic has withstood alot and continues to serve women from even the poorest regions in Mississippi.
Raleigh Women's Health Organization (RWHO) was the second abortion provider in North Carolina when it opened in 1979. RHWO remains the largest abortion provider in the state and serves women from all 100 counties of North Carolina, from the mountains to the coast. This clinic has been actively involved with the North Carolina legislature in numerous bills concerning reproductive rights and has opened its doors to visits by several legislators as they study abortion related issues. RWHO is a strong member of the Pro-Choice Coalition, has won numerous awards in the community for its work on behalf of women, and is looked upon as a model of a clinic supported by its community.
Summit Women's Health Organization (SWHO) was opened in 1974 and currently is one of three abortion providers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Summit is our inner city clinic, and historically has had a high Medicaid caseload. It has been the target of thousands of protesters and continues to be vandalized and the victim of arson attempts. Summit is a plaintiff in the national class action case against anti-abortion extremists, NOW v. Scheidler. Summit, along with the DWHO and the National Organization for Women won a jury verdict in April of 1998 against 5 anti-abortionists. This case has been in litigation for 13 years, and has been appealed by the defendants.