Pro-Life Pregnancy Center Buys Planned Parenthood's Former Building: 'God Always Has a Plan'
A pro-life pregnancy center in Gainesville, Fla., is celebrating and praising God after acquiring a building that, just months ago, was owned by Planned Parenthood and had been used to perform and refer countless abortions over the years.
SIRA, a faith-based pregnancy center, purchased the former Planned Parenthood facility for $345,000 on Sept. 10, according to the Main Street Daily News, allowing the center to expand amid growing demand for its services.
The two organizations had operated side by side since 1997, with SIRA offering free pregnancy-related services from its building at 912 NW 13th Street in Gainesville and Planned Parenthood operating next door at 914 NW 13th Street.
Now, though, the pregnancy center owns both buildings —and a former Planned Parenthood facility once associated with abortion is being transformed into a place dedicated to life and offering a beacon of hope.
Planned Parenthood shut down the facility this summer.
“Many of you in attendance tonight are rejoicing with us and witnessing the fruit from your sacrifice, commitment, prayers and investment,” SIRA Executive Director Kathy Gratto said during a fundraising banquet last week at North Central Baptist Church, according to the Daily News.
“God always has a plan. We have hopes and desires and missions and goals. We pray, and we wait, and in the waiting, our faith grows, and God continues to reveal Himself. And as you can see, He’s still the God of miracles.”
The Planned Parenthood location permanently closed on June 26 after more than five decades in Gainesville. Although the facility had stopped performing surgical abortions in recent years, it continued distributing abortion pills and referring women seeking abortions to other Planned Parenthood locations and local abortion providers. The clinic also offered contraception and gender-related services.
Meanwhile, SIRA offers pregnancy and STI testing, ultrasounds, parenting and life-skills classes, and post-abortion care. The ministry—which does not perform abortions — has served 2,786 clients through more than 7,200 visits during the past five years, according to the Main Street Daily News. It relies on donations to keep its services free.
SIRA first toured the building in August.
“Closing procedures began, and the seller found out that it was a crisis pregnancy center that wanted to buy the building, and there was pushback, which we expected,” Gratto said. “So with some legal extra steps, and two closings, for which Planned Parenthood paid all the costs, on Sept. 10, SIRA became the proud owner of the 914.”
The purchase of the Planned Parenthood facility, she added, is a major step forward in the cultural battle for life.
“There’s still much to be done in our community, and in the fight for life,” Gratto said, according to the Daily News. “We have a lot of work and planning ahead of us. I hope you will rejoice with us and continue to invest in the life-changing, life-saving ministry of SIRA.”
Photo Credit:©Getty Images/Michael B. Thomas/Stringer
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published October 05, 2026.
