When nationally respected leaders affirm the work of HLW’s Life & Love Network™, they are recognizing a shift long underway: pro-life engagement must evolve beyond crisis response to cultivate a holistic culture of life. Our Treats & Binkies™ model—now poised for national replication—embodies this needed transformation.

 

For decades, pro-life efforts have understandably centered on women in crisis, an essential but incomplete strategy. Research confirms that women’s pregnancy-related decisions are shaped by relational contexts, including partner support, family stability, and social networks (Biggs et al., 2013). A sustainable movement must therefore care for the ecosystems influencing those decisions.

 

Treats & Binkies™ was built with that understanding. It honors the interconnected nature of human flourishing by engaging families, neighbors, and multiple generations. Through years of observing both strengths and fractures within families, I have seen firsthand that men and fathers are often the most overlooked stabilizers in a woman’s life. The abortion industry contributed to this fracture by recasting pregnancy as solely a “woman’s issue,” ignoring biological reality—no woman becomes pregnant alone—while leaving her culturally responsible for navigating the consequences alone. This deepens distrust and reinforces the misconception that men are peripheral to life and family.

 

We must counter this fragmentation. Restoring men to their natural roles as protectors and providers is not antiquated; it is essential to relational integrity and community stability. Men are not an afterthought, nor merely individuals who “hurt too,” but integral partners whose presence strengthens families and reinforces social cohesion. The unity of men and women is foundational to human flourishing. Rebuilding that unity is central to healing the relational disruption that has harmed both sexes and weakened the support systems that sustain life.

 

This is precisely why Treats & Binkies™ has become such a powerful model. It draws all demographic groups—men, women, children, grandparents, teens, and neighbors—into a shared, joyful environment that helps repair what culture has fractured. Far from being an event “about babies,” it is profoundly humanizing for everyone who attends.

 

The thoughtful touches resonate immediately: the signature blue-and-white checkered tablecloths, chosen for warmth and familiarity; consistent visual branding that communicates care; curated activities that build belonging; and décor that is intentionally non-disposable. One attendee remarked that the tablecloth “didn’t feel disposable,” revealing what we aim to create: an experience where people feel dignified and valued.

 

The event’s relational design deepens that impact. One of our most effective features resembles “speed dating,” prompted by the ring of a dinner bell: the emcee invites guests to rotate between tables as nonprofit representatives give one-minute introductions to their services. Guests earn tickets for door prizes sponsored by local businesses, all within a warm, connective atmosphere enhanced by light acoustic guitar music that eases conversation among strangers. Held outdoors in small community parks—under covered picnic shelters where a gentle breeze moves through—the setting is intentionally unpretentious and approachable. Families join spontaneously as children play nearby, and the soft music cuts through any initial awkwardness. As one attendee shared, the environment made it effortless to talk, bringing together people from very different backgrounds who would not ordinarily find themselves in conversation.

 

Another reason Treats & Binkies™ is so effective is that it operates on a pull rather than a push approach. Families come to local parks simply to relax while their children play. Our event signage, placed at a natural distance from the play areas, gently draws people in—often from twenty feet or more—out of genuine curiosity. This contrasts sharply with the “vendor-row” dynamic of fairs, where passersby feel pressured to engage. By comparison, our two-sided, meander-friendly tables invite exploration. Guests may arrive intending only to “check it out,” yet they stay—laughing, connecting, and feeling unexpectedly welcomed. They often leave with items they genuinely value—and more importantly, with full hearts and strengthened community ties.

 

These consistent elements serve a strategic purpose: they make Treats & Binkies™ a replicable, licensable model for communities nationwide. The structure is clear, the branding is consistent, and the approach is designed for scalability while preserving the authenticity that defines its impact.

 

This relational lens provides clarity on what many feel beneath the surface: a disposable culture has eroded the connective tissue of belonging, leaving many vulnerable to isolation, judgment, and diminished hope. Scripture reminds us, “If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1, NASB). Scientific clarity and moral reasoning carry little weight without love and presence.

 

This truth carries even more weight in a society marked by unspoken wounds—some from direct encounters with abortion, others from its ripple effects. These traumas often surface as anger, volatility, or relational withdrawal. Beneath these reactions lies a simple reality: people are profoundly hungry for love that is real and safe. It is no accident that individuals have stood on street corners offering “Free Hugs,” a quiet acknowledgment of how starved our culture has become for authentic connection.

 

Digital isolation intensifies this. Research shows a correlation between device use and diminished in-person social skills, especially among adolescents, many of whom struggle with basic relational cues—eye contact, turn-taking, embodied empathy. A generation increasingly present online is becoming profoundly disconnected in embodied community (Twenge, 2017).

 

Even as the movement advances, one of its greatest challenges remains our tendency toward reaction rather than preparation. For decades, much of pro-life engagement has centered on urgent calls to action—contacting legislators, signing petitions, or praying outside clinics. While meaningful, these efforts typically occur after crises have unfolded, keeping people in a perpetual posture of responding after harm has already occurred.

 

In my work across Washington, I have seen how this reactive posture creates a relational disconnect. Even among devoted prayer partners, conversations sometimes slip into the language of shock—“How could she do that?”—without recognizing the deep, often desperate circumstances surrounding such decisions. Crisis-only engagement obscures the relational and systemic gaps that precede the crisis itself.

 

This is where HLWConnects.LIFE, our statewide virtual convention and digital learning hub, becomes transformative. Rather than waiting for emergencies, it equips individuals, churches, and communities to proactively cultivate a culture of life through understanding, prevention, and consistent relational presence. Through educational sessions, expert interviews, and evidence-aware training, participants learn not only what to do, but why women find themselves in crisis and how to intervene early with compassion and clarity.

 

The platform also fosters deeper community among people who often feel siloed. Participants may come for learning but stay because they discover other pro-life families who camp, hike, volunteer, cook, garden, and live full, multifaceted lives. For years, some churches unintentionally relegated pro-life involvement to a single volunteer operating at the margins. HLWConnects.LIFE replaces that model with multi-generational networks of normal, relatable people living life together.

 

In short, building a culture of life requires engagement that is principled, relational, and woven into everyday life. When people can bring their whole selves to the movement, instead of feeling defined by a single issue, they become far more effective ambassadors of hope.

 

If the pro-life movement is to thrive in the decade ahead, it must embrace a full-spectrum relational approach—one that restores the bonds that protect life. Strategic engagement begins with a simple truth: a culture of life is built not event by event, but relationship by relationship.

​

______________________

​

Esther Ripplinger, MBA, is President & CEO of HLW’s Life & Love Network™—formerly Human Life of Washington, the longstanding state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee. Her work emphasizes multi-generational community integration and evidence-aware innovation, most notably through the Treats & Binkies™ model, which has earned national recognition for redefining modern pro-life strategy.

​

______________________

References (APA 7th Edition)

​

Biggs, M. A., Gould, H., & Foster, D. G. (2013). Understanding why women seek abortions in the U.S. BMC Women’s Health, 13(29). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-13-29

​

The Holy Bible, New American Standard Bible. (1995). 1 Corinthians 13:1.

​

Twenge, J. M. (2017). iGen: Why today’s super-connected kids are growing up less rebellious, more tolerant, less happy—and completely unprepared for adulthood. Atria Books.

​

​