About Vision For life
(Hover on image to see name.)
Vision for Life – Pittsburgh is a Christian non-profit whose goal is not only to make a statement, but to make a difference.
In the Fall of 2009 Marie Vaina and Chris Humphrey learned that each was independently looking for ways to use media to change minds and hearts, and to save lives. A committee was formed (Jeff Steigerwalt joined us), and began meeting to explore the possibility of bringing pro-life media campaigns to Pittsburgh.
After a meeting with representatives of different pro-life groups, we began to enlarge our committee and to seek the endorsement of pregnancy counseling centers, pro-life educational groups, religious leaders, and other prominent members of the community, as a preliminary to fundraising. In early February 2010 we incorporated as the non-profit Vision for Life – Pittsburgh (PA Entity No. 3934985). At the beginning of March we applied to the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) status, letting us issue tax-deductible receipts. (Our E.I.N. is 01-0945375.) Since late 2010 we have run pro-life ads on TV, bus shelters, buses, in Google search results, Internet display advertising, Facebook and Instagram.
In December 2013, Jeff Steigerwalt, Marie Vaina and Nathalie Kovacic stepped down, and Joelle Sykes, Brian Follett (President of Heroic Media) and James Coffey (Vice-President for Advancement, the Papal Foundation) joined the Board.
In 2014 we welcomed Donna Pace, while in 2015, Harry and Barb Griffith and Bette Moore joined the Board. In 2016 Carol DeNisi joined the Board, and Katharine (Kate) Luckett in 2017. Harry and Barb were Chair and Vice-Chair of Vision for Life from 2017 to 2019. In 2017, Brian Follett and Jim Coffey stepped down from the Board, but joined our Honorary Board, along with co-founders Marie Vaina and Jeff Steigerwalt. In Fall of the same year, Katie Breckenridge joined the Board and brought her youthful perspective to our advertising work. In 2019 Keith Young, the Chair of Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh, joined the Board and in 2020 became Co-Chair with Harry Griffith. In the summer of 2020 Charlene O'Block joined the Board, and serves as Secretary. Later that summer 2020 we hired Ron Cichowicz as Executive Director, and began planning for major development of Vision for Life and our work for pregnancy medical centers. In December of 2020, Katie Breckenridge stepped down from the Board to focus her attention on Them Before Us, which works to protect children from their commodification by adults. God bless Katie's work! In the fall of 2020, Ron Cichowicz shifted to focusing specifically on grant-writing and direct-mail appeals. Kraig Makohus, who has a wide and deep experience in non-profit charitable work, joined Vision for Life as Executive Director in December 2022. Chris Humphrey, the Co-Founder, stepped down from the Board at the end of that year, but remains available for consultation and advice.
It is our prayer that many hearts and minds may be changed, and that many lives will be saved, through the work of VFL. Please pray for us and for the success of these fundraising and media campaigns, and help us out as you are able.
In the Fall of 2009 Marie Vaina and Chris Humphrey learned that each was independently looking for ways to use media to change minds and hearts, and to save lives. A committee was formed (Jeff Steigerwalt joined us), and began meeting to explore the possibility of bringing pro-life media campaigns to Pittsburgh.
After a meeting with representatives of different pro-life groups, we began to enlarge our committee and to seek the endorsement of pregnancy counseling centers, pro-life educational groups, religious leaders, and other prominent members of the community, as a preliminary to fundraising. In early February 2010 we incorporated as the non-profit Vision for Life – Pittsburgh (PA Entity No. 3934985). At the beginning of March we applied to the Internal Revenue Service for 501(c)(3) status, letting us issue tax-deductible receipts. (Our E.I.N. is 01-0945375.) Since late 2010 we have run pro-life ads on TV, bus shelters, buses, in Google search results, Internet display advertising, Facebook and Instagram.
In December 2013, Jeff Steigerwalt, Marie Vaina and Nathalie Kovacic stepped down, and Joelle Sykes, Brian Follett (President of Heroic Media) and James Coffey (Vice-President for Advancement, the Papal Foundation) joined the Board.
In 2014 we welcomed Donna Pace, while in 2015, Harry and Barb Griffith and Bette Moore joined the Board. In 2016 Carol DeNisi joined the Board, and Katharine (Kate) Luckett in 2017. Harry and Barb were Chair and Vice-Chair of Vision for Life from 2017 to 2019. In 2017, Brian Follett and Jim Coffey stepped down from the Board, but joined our Honorary Board, along with co-founders Marie Vaina and Jeff Steigerwalt. In Fall of the same year, Katie Breckenridge joined the Board and brought her youthful perspective to our advertising work. In 2019 Keith Young, the Chair of Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh, joined the Board and in 2020 became Co-Chair with Harry Griffith. In the summer of 2020 Charlene O'Block joined the Board, and serves as Secretary. Later that summer 2020 we hired Ron Cichowicz as Executive Director, and began planning for major development of Vision for Life and our work for pregnancy medical centers. In December of 2020, Katie Breckenridge stepped down from the Board to focus her attention on Them Before Us, which works to protect children from their commodification by adults. God bless Katie's work! In the fall of 2020, Ron Cichowicz shifted to focusing specifically on grant-writing and direct-mail appeals. Kraig Makohus, who has a wide and deep experience in non-profit charitable work, joined Vision for Life as Executive Director in December 2022. Chris Humphrey, the Co-Founder, stepped down from the Board at the end of that year, but remains available for consultation and advice.
It is our prayer that many hearts and minds may be changed, and that many lives will be saved, through the work of VFL. Please pray for us and for the success of these fundraising and media campaigns, and help us out as you are able.
Don't just make a statement. Make a difference!
It's good to make our views known, and to try to change others' minds. Yet that's not enough.
To save lives now, we need to do something practical to help young woman do what's right, and what is best for them.
Your support connects abortion-vulnerable women to centers where they can get the help they need.
To save lives now, we need to do something practical to help young woman do what's right, and what is best for them.
Your support connects abortion-vulnerable women to centers where they can get the help they need.
PO Box 389
Murrysville, PA 15668
Murrysville, PA 15668