That was being dead, and this is being alive

A spokesperson for U.S. Health and Human Services confirmed to Stateline on Friday that the agency is canceling 53 out of 67 grants, worth about $68 million, under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, affecting grantees in more than two dozen states.

A list obtained by Stateline of canceled grants includes those awarded to universities, community organizations, city and state health departments and Planned Parenthood affiliates in states such as Arizona, Montana, Michigan, Texas and West Virginia. The grants were canceled two years before their expiration dates because the programs did not align with agency priorities, according to one of the grantees who received a termination notice.

The program is part of the agency’s Office of Population Affairs and is a “national, evidence-based grant program that funds diverse organizations working to prevent teen pregnancy across the United States,” according to the HHS website. The agency provides funding to programs that develop and evaluate innovative approaches to prevent teen pregnancy as well as to prevent sexually transmitted infections among adolescents, and to promote positive behaviors.

Ayana Bradshaw, president and CEO of AccessMatters in Philadelphia, told Stateline her organization received the termination notice of its $1.2 million grant on Friday, and it was effective the same day. Bradshaw said the letter cited a misalignment with agency priorities, specifically that the program “normalizes or promotes sexual activity for minors.”

AccessMatters’ Adolescent Health Initiative is entirely funded by the federal grant and provides free sexual and reproductive health programs to more than 1,100 teens between the ages of 13 and 19. The program provides information, education and referrals for healthcare as needed.

The Trump administration identified the teen pregnancy program as one to cut in its 2025 budget request, and it was included in the final 2026 appropriations bill. The language accompanying that bill said grants for sexual risk avoidance must use medically accurate information and teach youth about risky behaviors “without normalizing teen sexual activity.”

The war has taken everything from me and my family — our home, our safety, and our source of living. We were displaced from Rafah to Al-Mawasi, and when we finally returned, we found our house destroyed and impossible to live in.Today, we live through hunger, poverty, fear, and constant pressure just to survive. Some days we cannot afford food, clean water, or even the most basic necessities. Sitting for long hours without a single meal has become part of our daily life.Before the war,

I was studying engineering and dreaming of building a better future for myself and my family. But the war stopped my education and destroyed the life I worked hard for .

I am trying to help my family survive and find a safe, stable life again. Any support, even a small donation, can help us with food, shelter, and hope during these difficult times.

My name is Sahar. Like any young woman, I dreamed of a stable and happy life. I was engaged to Mohammad, and together, we dreamed of building a warm little home where we could start our life. We spent years preparing our house, but just before our wedding, everything was destroyed in an instant by the war.

I was faced with a choice: to leave Mohammad in the midst of this chaos or to stand by him and begin our journey together, no matter how difficult it might be. I chose him. We got married, not in the dream wedding I had envisioned, but under the harsh reality of war. Our new home became a fragile tent, offering neither comfort nor security.

Today, I am seven months pregnant and living in constant fear for my unborn daughter. I am terrified of the world she will be born into—a world of poverty, hunger, and freezing cold. We’ve been displaced over nine times, carrying nothing but the weight of loss and the hope for survival. The house we dreamed of is now rubble, and the tent we live in barely shields us from the rain and cold.

How will I protect my daughter? We struggle to find enough food. Basic necessities like milk, blankets, and clothing feel impossibly out of reach. The cost of survival has become unbearable. Every night, I am haunted by the thought: how can I bring her into this world, knowing I cannot keep her safe?

I write to you with a heavy heart, pleading for help. I don’t ask for much, just the chance to give my daughter a safe beginning, a life with warmth and dignity. Every small donation can be a lifeline for us, and even sharing our story can make a difference. Please, help us survive this storm and rebuild our shattered lives.

To donate or support us, here is the link

BUT i got it all cut out from leftovers without buying any new fabric so that's my win