UNPLANNED Actress Creates a Scholarship for Pregnant Mommies
By Tess Farrand, Associate Content Editor
Ashley Bratcher, who starred in UNPLANNED, created a scholarship with Heartbeat International for mommies.
Bratcher played real-life hero Abby Johnson. UNPLANNED follows Johnson’s character from Planned Parenthood superstar to fierce pro-life advocate.
Bratcher says the movie’s success combined with her own testimony compelled her to act on her pro-life beliefs.
The Unplanned Movie Scholarship will give pregnant women $5,000 to encourage and support choosing life. Interested people can also give to the scholarship fund of any amount of their choosing.
According to the scholarship’s webpage, the goal is to create lasting change for families.
“We will honor these brave women who chose life with a $5,000 annual scholarship to put toward their education. By encouraging positive choices, we can literally transform families and communities,” the site reads.
Related: Why This UNPLANNED Actress Chooses to Lean on Matthew 6:33
Bratcher explained her heart behind the scholarship in a post on Instagram:
“Women CAN pursue their careers, live out their dreams and have richer, more fulfilling lives while balancing motherhood. Sometimes, it just takes a little help. I wanted to be a part of empowering mothers to chase their dreams and to provide a means for those who chose life to continue their educations. Which is why I just launched the @UnplannedMovie Scholarship with the help of @heartbeatinternational
I know how hard it can be to go to school while you’re raising your children, I watched it first-hand. My mom worked full time while going to school and taking care of our family. This photo was taken the night she graduated nursing school.
Anyone who tells you that you can’t go to school or pursue a career and be an awesome mother at the same time is lying. Yes 👏 you 👏 can.”
UNPLANNED’s meaning carried a special significance to Bratcher, whose own mother nearly aborted her while pregnant.
Heartbeat International’s President Jor-El Godsey detailed his excitement about the scholarship on the webpage, “Tucked into UNPLANNED is a vivid reminder that education can present an obstacle to accepting the new life within.”
Related: Pro-Life Movie UNPLANNED a ‘Best-Seller’ Before Releasing on DVD
Godsey continued, “The UNPLANNED Movie Scholarship will be a lifeline to a young mom’s future while she makes the brave choice to embrace motherhood. We believe women are fully capable, given the opportunity, to achieve big things. Heartbeat International is privileged to partner with Ashley and Unplanned to see life choices championed!”
Please continue to pray that God’s favor would rest on UNPLANNED all its influence going forward.
