She glows : Karen Eller

she glows

KAREN ELLER

By Stacie Ball | Photo by Mollie Shutt

Community volunteer and advocate Karen Eller recently shared her methods for making a difference right here in Fort Wayne.

Can you tell us the story behind Culture Beyond Compliance?

As a reincarnated suffragette, I spent my early professional career asking people for money for causes close to my heart. I went on to merge my professional expertise in fundraising with my personal passion for women’s rights to co-found, Culture Beyond Compliance, a company that helps nonprofits create safer and more productive work environments. And now, in between work meetings and managing a busy mom schedule, I am working to decrease Indiana’s unintended pregnancy rate with a free birth control initiative.

Tell me more about the free birth control initiative.

When I lived in Colorado with my husband and two children, I was able to witness the significant impact of Colorado’s free birth control program. A $50M gift from the Susan Buffet Foundation provided free long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs) to all for five years.

Access to birth control allows for healthier pregnancies and reduces infant and maternal mortality rates — of which Indiana has some of the highest rates in the country. It significantly decreases unintended pregnancy, thereby reducing the tax burden paid to support those pregnancies. By allowing individuals to wait for pregnancy, birth control can increase household economies and help close the gender pay gap. I realize birth control isn’t for everyone, and that’s ok too.

After experiencing the Colorado LARC program first-hand, I couldn’t help but talk about it frequently. And then one day, it turned out someone was listening. A potential donor approached me to ask how to contribute to a LARC program here in Indiana. The problem was, no program existed. We decided to work together to try to pilot a free birth control program focused in Fort Wayne — and we set out to have conversations with any health provider who would call us back. With the donor on a year-end deadline, and the pandemic raging, two programs emerged as possibilities: IU Health’s PATH4YOU and the local Planned Parenthood clinic. As of February 2022, both programs are offering free contraception to anyone in need.

What are actions others can take to support you and your work?

I want to support families and prove that we can turn the corner on infant and maternal mortality here by eliminating any financial obstacles to reproductive health. I urge residents to spread the word by telling people about the free birth control options available in Fort Wayne, or to make a financial contribution to either program, since the need for contraception access far outweighs the private funding currently available.

If you are interested in learning more, check out the following resources:

• Visit www.PATH4YOU.org to learn about birth control options and schedule a telehealth or clinic visit.

• Call 317-205-8088 to schedule an appointment at Planned

Parenthood FW.

• Private donations can be made through the IU Health

Foundation at https://www.iuhealthfoundation.org/donate

OR Planned Parenthood Fort Wayne at: https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/a/ppdonate a

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