Our History

AAA Women’s Services grew out of the moral convictions and passion for the sanctity of human life held by a small group of Christians in the city of Chattanooga. As they earnestly prayed, God led them to establish a center where women could hear the truth about abortion and receive help in Jesus’ name.

1985

In October of 1985, AAA Women’s Services opened its doors as Chattanooga’s crisis pregnancy center. The founders and a handful of dedicated volunteers funded and staffed the center. Strategically located across the street from the abortion clinic, a refuge was established; it was a place where both the woman and her baby were valued. God blessed and in the first full year of operation (1986) over 500 women were served.

From these first steps of faith, the ministry grew to a full staff, has been served by hundreds of volunteers, and supported by thousands of individuals, churches, businesses and foundations. Most importantly, AAA Women’s Services has offered care to tens of thousands of women over the years!

Through those years, in our city and in our country, abortion was much in the news and the battle lines were clearly drawn. There is no neutral position when life is on one side and death on the other! So it was on Vance Road.

1989

In 1989, several members of AAA’s Board of Directors participated in the founding of another organization- the Pro-Life Majority Coalition of Chattanooga. PROMACC was established to bring together believers working on all fronts of the fight against abortion, from activism to politics to mercy ministries. This coalition worked in a spirit of unity to draw public awareness to the abortion issue and galvanize community support. That support led to an amazing turn of events four years later.

1993

Just prior to PROMACC’s quarterly meeting in April of 1993, word was received that the realtor who owned the abortion clinic property had been forced to file for bankruptcy and had agreed to sell the property to the abortionist. In a week’s time, the coalition raised over $300,000 and outbid the abortionist in bankruptcy court, purchasing the building that for 18 years had housed the only abortion clinic in the city. The day PROMACC closed the sale coincided with the expiration of the clinic’s 15 year lease. Although they vowed to reopen within weeks, the clinic ceased to exist.

1994

In February of 1994, AAA Women’s Services finished remodeling half of the former clinic building and moved into lovely new offices. The remainder of the building has been transformed into the National Memorial for the Unborn, a sister organization where families nationwide can honor the worth of children lost to abortion.

1997

A Downtown center was added in 1997 which became AAA’s medical clinic in 2003. Why kNOw Abstinence Education Programs (renamed On Point in 2009) grew from AAA’s church-based youth presentation to become one of the largest and most successful abstinence-only programs in the United States.

Through the years, AAA Women’s Services grew to provide comprehensive services to promote and protect the sanctity of human life before the question of abortion arises (abstinence counsel), when pregnancy is a concern (client services centers) and after that irretrievable choice has been made (post-abortion counseling). Childbirth, infant care and parenting classes were added, along with mentoring opportunities for expectant parents. The Gospel is shared in word and deed, day after day, now for more than thirty years.

2009

As technology moved away from print media and the advantage of being first in the telephone book was no longer relevant in reaching clients, the decision was made to update the ministry’s name. An intentional effort to reclaim the word choice led to the name change. Choices Pregnancy Resource Center was filed as a DBA for AAA Women’s Services in October of 2009.

NOW

Although Choices has grown and developed over the years, we will always be dedicated to creating, promoting and protecting a culture of life in our community.