Planned Parenthood sees fundraising spike after losing big supporter
(CNN) - Planned Parenthood reported on Wednesday raising $400,000 in the 24 hours following its announcement that a major backer, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, was ending its partnership with the group.
The major breast cancer research group cut its funds for breast screenings at Planned Parenthood amid increased scrutiny from Congress over how the prominent family planning organization provides abortion services.
Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
In a statement Tuesday, Planned Parenthood said the Komen Foundation had "succumbed to political pressure," and on Wednesday, a spokesperson said its supporters responded in droves.
About 6,000 donors gave online contributions starting Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday afternoon, as news of the decision made headlines.
"People respond powerfully when they see politics interfering with women's health. That's why we've seen a tremendous outpouring of support," said Andrea Hagelgans, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood.
The Komen Foundation denied Wednesday the decision stemmed from politics and said the move had been widely mischaracterized.
Instead, the group insisted the decision was part of a "new granting strategy" that enforces "more stringent eligibility standards" for its grantees. As a result, the group said, Planned Parenthood was one organization that no longer qualified for grant money.
The statement did not elaborate on how Planned Parenthood failed to meet the foundation's new criteria.
"Some might argue that our standards are too exacting, but over the past three decades people have given us more than just their money. They have given us their trust and we take that responsibility very seriously," the group said in a statement.
Nancy Brinker, the founder and CEO of the Komen Foundation, was a political appointee of the George W. Bush Administration, in which she served as U.S. Ambassador to Hungary and as Chief of Protocol. Susan G. Komen was Brinker's sister.
In September, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce began an investigation of Planned Parenthood over the organization's "compliance with federal restrictions on funding abortions."
Planned Parenthood said funding from the Komen Foundation had largely paid for breast exams at local affiliates. In the last five years, grants from the group have directly supported 170,000 screenings, comprising about 4% of the total exams performed at Planned Parenthood health centers nationwide, according to the group.
- CNN's Ashley Killough, Mary Snow and Sara Pratley contributed to this report.
Also see:
I guess I'll be redirecting my Komen Foundation donations to Planned Parenthood.
Please don't tell me that Susan B. Komen foundation has gone the way of the 1%. "The poor don't matter". Playing politics with peoples health is about as low as you can go. Time to examine the "reason" for the foundation.
its a shame Komen is doing this... the attack on women's health has to stop...the majority of the work of Planned Parenthood is preventive care for women...
I agree with Mikey. As much as I have supported the Komen Foundation, I will now direct those funds to Planned Parenthood which helps provide essential women's health services including screening for breast and other cancers.
Yep, Susan Komen donations going straight to Planned Parenthood.
When will the rightist stop with demonizing groups that help the working, middle class and working poor with their lies?
I agree with Mikey, I will not donate to nor purchase anything that giives proceeds to the Komen Foundation!
Komen can forget about any more of my monies, My Mother and Grandmother did not die for the political agenda of Komen.
I love how both of these comments come from men
This is just a sample of what will happen to women's issues if the Republicans and their far-right evangelical supporters take the White House and congress in the November election. Today the paper said a Catholic Church has withdrawn its support and place to hold meetings from The Girl Scouts of that church as they have been convinced by religious nut-cases that Scouting teaches birth control and abortion rights. With that kind of thinking it is hard to believe that this is 2012 America. For your Mother, your daughter and yourself – vote in November – vote Obama/Biden.
Cowardly move by the Komen people. And what's with all the "stringency"? Can Komen really afford the luxury of stringency? Better take the help where you can get it: last time I checked, the Feds weren't beating down their doors with billion-dollar grants.
It sure doesn't make any sense, does it ? The Republicans wants to give people more freedom / have Less Gov't / give the states More rights & decisions / THEN – they want to Control the females rights. They want to Tell them what they should do to theirselves, as far as abortion goes. In My Opinion – I think IF the female wants to have an abortion, it should be her right, when she's been raped / or in a case of Incest – But the Republicans, They constantly want to contradict theirselves, one time they want to say that the gov't should not interfere, then on the other hand, they Want to get Involved. Amazing, isn't it ?
Larry in Houston
My contributions that once went to the Susan B. Komer foundation will now go directly to Planned Parenthood. All the "Walks for the Cure" held by many communitie and the great effort by many women to collect donations to Komer to help woman, especially poor women, now seems fruitless. How in the world did this happen?
My donations will be going to Planned Parenthood and not to the Komen foundation.
I know how it feel when u cant afford to pay and a survier breast cancer we all need support and helpe
Time to examine the "reason" for abortion now that there is no stigma to having a baby out of wedlock.
I would most probably be dead today if not for my yearly screenings from PP when I was 21 and uninsured. I couldn't afford to go to a "regular" doctor back then, barely out of school, even working 60 hours a week at a restaurant. Planned Parenthood was the ONLY medical services I received for years. They were the ones who found my severe anemia as well as my cancer while it was still Stage 1. Thankfully, I am able to afford insurance these days, but I know there are millions of people who are not as lucky as I am. I don't understand the incredible vitriol against an institution that does so much good for so many. Shame on you Komen Foundation, you are acting against your own goals. Wearing a pink ribbon doesn't fight cancer, but getting exams and early diagnosis does.
Apparently, breast exams no longer matter to a foundation that fights breast cancer.
I just became a sustaining member of Planned Parenthood. $15 a month may not be much but it's $15 Komen and the crazy christian right won't get!
I will no longer support the Susan B. Komen foundation. I will no longer buy "pink" items, and I am tired of all the money-grubbing merchandising that the Komen foundation panders to.
Support women's rights to have affordable healthcare and birth control!
Unbelievable. Well, that's the last time i'll ever buy a pink ribbon or support their foundation....my money can go to Planned Parenthood instead. Just disgusting.
"Some might argue that our standards are too exacting, but over the past three decades people have given us more than just their money. They have given us their trust and we take that responsibility very seriously," the group said in a statement.
Well I'm taking my trust back. Good-bye, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. I can play politics myself with my own money without any help from you, and apparently I am also better at finding organizations that will use my donations wisely to further research and non-political social goals. It's not like there is some lack of worthy causes out there, thanks to trends toward government austerity and Republican misrule...
These conservatives are really something, aren't they? They are all in favor of the unborn, they will do anything for the unborn, but once you're born, you're on your own! Pro-life conservatives are obsessed with the fetus from conception to nine months. After that they don't want to know about you, they don't want to hear from you Oh yes and "let a baby be born" to a mother who cannot care for it or someone who does not want it and then whose responsibility is it? Yours
Good for Susan B. Komen Foundation. I will continue to support your organization. Planned Parenthood is nothing more than an abortion advocate.
What a coincidence, here is a quote "And Komen has strong links to the anti-choice movement. Its new vice president of public policy, Karen Handel, ran for governor of Georgia in 2010 on an aggressively anti-choice platform, part of which was a pledge to defund Planned Parenthood'. Too bad you have two bad the executive team has gone the 1% way.
Liar's. Planned Parenthood kills. A back handed way to get funding for their murderous group., Disgusting.