One of the best organizations in Memphis. I was in college, on my super-conservative parent's insurance, and had no viable access to birth control. Not only did A Step Ahead help me get the most effective birth control available, but every staff member I interacted with was kind, supportive, and nonjudgemental. A Step Ahead is helping me to finish my education and get into medical school before having kids. It rocks!
A Step Ahead Foundation is changing lives. They have helped thousands of women in Memphis. If you have the most effective birth control that's oops-proof (nothing you have to remember to take every day, week, etc.) then you can plan to accomplish as much as you dream to without the worry of an unplanned pregnancy disrupting your goals. That is amazing! Clients pay nothing out of pocket, so it levels the playing field allowing women of all incomes and backgrounds access to the methods of birth control female doctors most often choose for themselves. A free well-woman checkup is included at the appointment and transportation is available for those who need it. Not just a bus voucher but a cab ride, so the client can be comfortable and can get in and out and on with her day. Everyone I know who works there is incredibly passionate about the cause and I would give them 10 stars if I could!
I am thankful for this program because it allowed me to have a choice on the type of birth control that fit my needs. I like that the program is free!
While attending a dinner, all strangers, I was seated next to a young woman that mentioned that she was a nurse. It happened that we both worked for the Methodist LeBonheur system, she as a public health nurse going into the homes of very young pregnant women, teaching and assessing and I as a day surgery pediatric nurse. When I mentioned that I volunteered for ASAF and told of its goals, she was well aware of the positive work of the foundation and we continued a most enjoyable discussion about how she always gives ASAF literature to her patients as a way to begin planning for postpartum contraception.When appropriate, I also am able to teach teenagers who are at risk about ASAF. We learned about each other's stories and our dinner was a success.
I have spread the word about and volunteered for this organization for years because I believe so fervently in the mission. A child deserves the best possible upbringing and it is so important to wait to have children until both parents are ready. ASA offers an easy choice for responsible women to prevent pregnancy in a climate when many other clinics are shutting down. More birth control results in fewer abortions obviously. Claudia Haltom comes at this issue head on after working in the Juvenile Court system as a judge for 17 years who understands the burdens and responsibilities of having babies as a single mother often without child support from the father. Avoiding pregnancy with LARC methods allows women to focus on their education, character development and goals. ASA has proven success in Shelby County and the model should be replicated all over the country.
I am very grateful for the services provided by A Step Ahead Foundation. Their hard work and dedication to the women of Shelby County is inspiring. I was in my second year of graduate study when I first heard of this organization. I had been suffering extreme nausea with my habitual birth control method, and had heard great things about the low-dose hormone IUD Mirena. I would never have been able to afford an IUD on my own, with a work-study budget and no health insurance. Since that time, I have graduated and begun work in my field - and I haven't had to worry once about nausea or remembering to take a pill. I truly believe ASAF was a key component of my success. And for that I cannot thank them enough!
I've volunteered with A Step Ahead over the past few years and I've always found them to be welcoming, friendly, and helpful. The services they provide to our community are essential, and I love that they offer education services along with free access to the most effective contraceptives. Volunteering with A Step Ahead makes me feel like I'm truly impacting the Memphis community for the better.
Step Ahead has awesome results in our community. They provide a service that is essential for our area, and they have a great reputation among other non-profits in the city.
The model used by A Step Ahead has huge promise for lowering teen pregnancy and abortion rates in Tennessee - it's worked wonders in Colorado and St. Louis, and we're already seeing huge drops in these rates in Memphis. Nonprofits should always strive to be as evidence based as A Step Ahead.