For Christ. For Family. For Life.
Monthly Pro-Life Rally on February 25, 2023
February 25, 2023 - 11AM
611 Auburn St., Rockford, IL 61103
We again had over 200 people join us to rally for life outside the Auburn Street abortion mill - Pictures Here
Keep Rockford Pro-Life Rally on January 21, 2023
January 21, 2023 - 11AM
611 Auburn St., Rockford, IL 61103
Our first rally of 2023 was a big success! About 250 people joined to pray and witness to the sanctity of life.
And, because we were there, the abortion mill closed early!
January 8, 2023: Open Letter to the City of Rockford
Planning & Zoning Office
Is it not surprising, considering that Rockford’s mayor and several city council members have publicly spoken at pro-abortion rallies in our city, that a special use permit, which is needed for an abortion clinic to open in a residential neighborhood, suddenly disappears? Why is the Auburn street abortion location being allowed to open without a permit?
We have proof from the Illinois Department of Public Health that the former abortion mill in Rockford placed the lives and health of women in danger. Why does the city not care about this and why were you so desperate to keep not allow this information to be brought up before the Zoning board?
We have photographic evidence, witnesses, and police reports proving that when Dennis Christensen owned the Northern Illinois Women's Center many signs appeared in the clinic windows that contained messages of racism, bigotry, hate, and vile mockery of God and human life. Why does city of Rockford refuse to acknowledge this deep hatred directed toward the people of Rockford, and why was the zoning board prevented from seeing this horrific truth?
This abortion mill in a residential neighborhood will result in countless protests and counter protests, loud interaction on the sidewalk and alleys near dozens of homes, countless police calls to the neighborhood, property values reduced, and the entire city seeing this Auburn St neighborhood as the "abortion center" of Rockford. This neighborhood will be changed for the worse if this abortion mill continues to operate. Why has your office been silent about this and why was this information not allowed to be presented to the zoning board?
As we know, abortion is a crime against God and humanity. It is the murder of a little girl or boy in the womb. We respectfully ask you to answer the above questions as a matter of common decency and for the good of the people of Rockford.
Rockford Family Initiative
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Dec 27, 2022: Woman Attacks Rockford Pro-Lifers
A pro-choice woman pulled over and assaulted members of Rockford Family Initiative who were praying outside the new 611 abortion location this morning.
“There are too many children!” she screamed as she hurled her coffee at them.
Already on opening day, this abortion facility is bringing violence to this residential neighborhood.
Thanks to the Rockford Police, this aggressor was later arrested and faces criminal charges.
This act will not deter us from our mission of witnessing for the unborn and offering help to their mothers. In fact, this hateful act just inspires us to love more. It inspires us to be out on the street witnessing to the truth of God's law even more.
We fear that this is just the beginning of what will happen in Rockford. The disorder, crime, anger, and anarchy that will be brought to this neighborhood by this abortion clinic was NEVER intended by the special use permit granted years ago to a Chiropractor at 611 Auburn. The city of Rockford is now allowing this house of horrors to open under a special use permit that cannot even be found.
Does the city of Rockford really support this kind of violence in it's neighborhoods?
We Serve a Crucified Lord
The Rockford Family Initiative attempted to present our case to the Rockford Zoning board on Tuesday, December 21. Our goal was to prove that the proposed abortion mill at 611 Auburn St should not be allowed to open in a residential neighborhood, primarily since the city of Rockford cannot produce the special use permit that it needs to open.
Brave pro-lifers in Rockford packed the chambers, outnumbering the pro-aborts by about ten to one. Thank you to all those who came!
At the hearing, the zoning board REFUSED to allow us to present several pieces of evidence, including:
Dennis Christensen’s former abortion clinic in Rockford was closed by the state of Illinois for horrific conditions, such as contaminated surgical rooms, not sanitizing surgical instruments, putting women's lives at risk. THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW US TO PRESENT THIS EVIDENCE. Why would the zoning board not consider the grisly history of the owner of the proposed abortion mill at 611 Auburn?
The signs of bigotry and hate Christensen put in his former abortion clinic windows. THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW US TO PRESENT THIS EVIDENCE.
Proof of how the abortion clinic at the Broadway location brought disruption and decay his former abortion mill neighborhood. THEY REFUSED TO ALLOW US TO PRESENT THIS EVIDENCE.
In the end, the board voted to affirm the zoning officer’s decision to allow the abortion mill to open, without a permit.
So where does this leave us?
We serve a crucified Lord who "turns all thing to the good for those who love Him." We will pray. We will offer help and love to all mothers entering abortion mills. We will be a constant public witness to the love of Jesus for all people.
We will plan future pro-life initiatives with the fact in mind that our city will be allowing Dennis Christensen to operate his baby-killing house of horrors without a permit.
We are also studying other legal options to reverse this unjust ruling.
We put all our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
THANK YOU again to all who came out in the cold to support Jesus and His children at this hearing and to the pro-lifers who testified to Christ and life. More information will be forthcoming on this situation.
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Update on Zoning Appeal - December 18, 2022
Special Privileges for Abortion in Rockford?
Zoning Appeal Hearing set for this Tuesday at 5:20PM
In order for the proposed abortion mill to open in a residential neighborhood at the 611 Auburn St location, a special use permit is required to exempt the "business" from regular zoning laws and regulations. The Rockford Family Initiative has received word that no special use permit can be found:
"While the Zoning Officer was not able to find the SUP (special use permit) in the City’s archived files, he based his determination on the totality of the circumstances with the information he had to draw a conclusion that the City has been operating as if an SUP existed for the last 40 years."
This is an unjust outrage. The zoning officer is saying that no special use permit exists but they are going to allow this child killing business to open anyway with NO PERMIT. Below are listed just a few of the reasons this is direct attack on the rule of law, justice, the common good, and human life.
1. The original SUP - if it ever existed - could have had limitations, constraints, restrictions, or wording that could affect this current situation. The zoning officer is suggesting the city doesn't care about this and are allowing it to operate anyway, without a permit.
2. Businesses in Rockford are not allowed to operate without proper permits. Why would an exception be considered for this abortion business?
3. The Mayor of Rockford is an outspoken supporter of abortion and has even appeared at and spoken at public pro-abortion rallies. Many members of the city council have spoken at pro-abortion rallies. How do we know that the special use permit is not being suppressed by this administration or abortion supporting individuals in city government?
4. We asked the city if this will be standard procedure moving forward that businesses will not need proper permits to operate and have yet to receive a response.
5. Allowing a child killing business to operate in a residential neighborhood will change it forever. At the old abortion mill on Broadway we had mothers crying going in the clinic and coming out. We had large protests and counter protests sometimes with anger and shouting. This created a horrific atmosphere in the neighborhood and divided the neighbors based on their position on life issues.
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Over the years, we had hundreds of police calls to the abortion clinic. Pro-lifers were assaulted by abortion supporters on at least four occasions.
The city is now saying they can't find the permit that will allow this kind of disruption, anger, and chaos to a quiet residential neighborhood and they don't seem to care - and seem to want to allow the abortion mill to open without a permit.
Please contact your alderman (https://rockfordil.gov/city-council/) and express your shock and disgust at this situation where the city is considering allowing a child killing business to open without proper permits.
Also, please join us at the zoning appeal hearing:
When: Tuesday, December 20th at 5:20PM
Where: Rockford City Council Chambers, Second Floor, City Hall, 425 East State Street.
There will be a short hearing before the Rockford zoning board where the Rockford Family Initiative will be making the case that this abortion mill should not be allowed to open without the proper permit.
It is a sad fact that the old abortion mill in Rockford that was owned by the same abortionist and run by the same clinic administrator was closed by the state of Illinois for disgusting, unsanitary and dangerous conditions. What is the first act of this same abortionist and clinic administrator attempting to open a new abortion mill? Are they going to be allowed to disregard local law and city ordinance by opening without a special use permit?
Please join us in prayer and action to prevent this unjust outrage from happening in our city.
Rockford Family Initiative Files Suit Appealing Zoning Permit for Potential Abortion Clinic
The Rockford Family Initiative and three individuals have filed an appeal of the Rockford Zoning Officer's certification for use of 611 Auburn Street as an abortion clinic. The appeal claims that the proposed abortion business has not met the legal requirements to open. According to the details of the appeal, the claim is based on, but not limited to:
The request for certification was not accompanied by a plat legally recorded under the laws of the State of Illinois and Winnebago County giving a legal description, and the request for certification was not accompanied by a plot plan.
The location of the abortion business is not zoned for commercial use, and there is no active special use permit allowing its use. The location owner, Dennis Christensen, has not applied for a special use permit, and the city of Rockford has not independently reviewed whether use of the location as an abortion business will "endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort, or general welfare".
Furthermore, the City of Rockford has not reviewed whether the abortion business will:
"have special impacts [or] potentially adverse effects on the neighborhood surrounding the site";
"create significant noise, traffic, environmental, or other impacts that may be objectionable";
"have significant visual [and] traffic impacts";
"diminish property values";
"impede the normal or orderly development and improvement of the surrounding property"; and
"[be] compatible with the existing character of the area."
The owner, Dennis Christensen, has not been issued a home business permit.
The Rockford Zoning Ordinances expressly prohibit the abortion business from: Employing non-residents of the home; and Operating as a medical clinic at its current location.
"When the former abortion clinic in Rockford was open, the owners and staff consistently did not follow state health regulations and placed the lives of women in danger,” said Rilott. “It appears again that many city ordinances have not been followed in this case. The Rockford Family Initiative is doing everything possible to ensure that the laws of our city are followed, and that the killing of innocent children in the womb is never allowed in this peaceful Rockford neighborhood.”
Local Businesses Demand City Council Stop Abortion Clinic
Eleven Rockford businesses located in the immediate vicinity of the potential abortion clinic at 4236 Maray Drive have signed an open letter to the public officials of the city of Rockford, demanding that the City Council amend the area zoning regulations to exclude abortion clinics. They will present the open letter to the City Council on Monday, October 17th at 5:30PM.
The business owners are making the demand because they worry that allowing the abortion clinic to open will adversely affect their business. “4236 Maray Drive is currently zoned C-2 Limited Commercial District, which does not allow for ‘undue traffic congestion’ or ‘detrimental impacts on neighboring properties.’ This alone should have prevented the new clinic owners from attempting to establish an abortion clinic in our neighborhood. Since this has not happened, we demand that the city council amend the C-2 Limited Commercial District zone to explicitly exclude abortion clinics.”
Additionally, the businesses are concerned that, considering the previous clinic location formerly operated by Dr. Dennis Christensen was shut down due to health and sanitation violations, the 4236 Maray Drive location could become a vacant and uncared for property if the future abortion clinic (which is also owned by Dr. Dennis Christensen) is shut down as well.
The open letter continues, “At a recent meeting, the City Administrator, Todd Cagnoni, said that any alderman could make the proposal to amend the C-2 Limited Commercial District zone to explicitly exclude abortion clinics, and that the city council could then vote on the measure. We demand that one of the alderman make this proposal and the city council vote to make the zoning amendment.”
The businesses owners plan to present the open letter to the City Council on Monday night, October 17th, at the next council meeting.
ACTION ITEM: Contact Alderman Frank Beach
Click here for an update on the situation
We have been working with Alderman Frank Beach (whose district includes the proposed clinic on Maray Drive) to explore all options to prevent the Maray Drive abortion mill from opening. Now we need your help – PLEASE call him today and encourage him to do everything in his power to stop the clinic from opening.
Alderman Beach's contact information:
Phone: 815-399-3737
Email: AldermanFrankBeach@gmail.com
At a recent public meeting, the Rockford City Administrator (Todd Cagnoni) said that the Rockford city council could explicitly exclude abortion clinics from the zoning that includes the Maray Drive location. Any of the city alderman could propose the zoning change. Passing the zoning change would effectively prevent the Maray Drive location from ever opening its doors.
Alderman Frank Beach is the alderman of the district that includes Maray Drive. Please call him ASAP and encourage him to make this proposal at the city council! If we don't stop the abortion clinic from opening NOW, thousands of little innocent babies could be killed in Rockford.
Please contact Alderman Beach today, RIGHT NOW. Below is a sample script you could use.
Here is Alderman Beach's contact information:
Phone: 815-399-3737
Email: AldermanFrankBeach@gmail.com
Here is a very simple script you could use for your conversation with Alderman Beach:
"Alderman Beach - thank you for all you have done to oppose abortion in Rockford. Please make a proposal at the city council to prohibit abortion clinics from opening in locations zoned as C-2, including the proposed location at 4236 Maray Drive. Doing this could save the lives of thousands of innocent children in Rockford! Thank you and
God bless!"
Mark your calendars -
prayer vigil
on September 13, 2022
What: Pro-Life Prayer Vigil at the "Meet our Pro-Choice Candidates" Forum
Where: At the entrance to Unitarian Church, 4848 Turner Rd, Rockford
When: Tuesday, September 13, 6:00PM - 6:45PM
We continue to monitor the situation of two potential abortion clinics coming to Rockford and will have an update on that soon. In the meantime, the pro-abortion Winnebago County Citizens for Choice will be hosting a
MEET OUR PRO-CHOICE CANDIDATES forum, Tuesday, Sep. 13th at the Unitarian Church, 4848 Turner Rd.
Several Rockford area pro-abortion political candidates are expected to be there.
We are going to protest in a peaceful and prayerful way outside the event!
Please arrive shortly before 6:00pm at the Unitarian Church, 4848 Turner Rd, Rockford. Park in the neighborhood near the entrance to the so-called church and we will have signs for you to hold on public property.
Please bring a chair if you need one.
We need to be a prayerful presence for our Lord Jesus and for the babies outside of this event that will be filled with those who locally support the killing of God's children by abortion. We have a duty and responsibility to be at this event to pray, witness, and hold signs that will show Rockford area pro-abortion leadership that they are responsible for the murder of children and to pray for their repentance.
Our signs will great the participants as they arrive with a clear message that abortion is a
crime against God and against humanity.
We will conclude at about 6:45pm. Please join us and invite others for this time of prayer and witness for Christ & Life.
Help us STOP abortion from coming to Rockford
*Donate and Get Yard Sign*
Abortionist Dennis Christensen has purchased two buildings in Rockford and is expected to open two abortion clinics in the near future. We are doing everything we can to stop him. Thank you to everyone who has joined us at our recent rallies!
Your prayers are needed, your physical presence at the abortion mill locations is needed... and your financial support is needed. PLEASE, click here if you are able to chip in a few dollars towards the effort to stop Dennis Christensen.
We just purchased these "Abortion is Bad for Rockford" yard signs that we are giving away. Please contact us to request one right away!
In addition to the yard signs, we have purchased:
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Pro-life signs to be held at the abortion mills. We bought enough signs so that those who are interested can keep a sign so they will always have in their car.
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Pro-life pamphlets for our sidewalk counselors to give mothers entering the abortion mills showing the horrific dangers of both chemical and surgical abortions.
I put these expenses on my credit card, trusting that God would inspire you and others in the Rockford area to contribute towards covering these expenses. If you are able to help out, I would be most grateful. (Link to our donation page) No donation is too small, and all donations go directly towards the work that Rockford Family Initiative does.
May God reward you for your generosity!
God bless,
Kevin Rilott
Rockford Family Initiative
MORE BREAKING NEWS
We have an urgent update on attempts to bring abortion to Rockford. PROTEST on July 8, 2022 at 11AM (4236 Maray Drive, Rockford)
We were informed that Dennis Christensen (the infamous former owner of the former abortion clinic on Broadway in Rockford) purchased another property – 4236 Maray Drive in Rockford (the former Animal Emergency Clinic).
We confirmed with the Winnebago County Recorder’s office that the property was indeed purchased by Dennis Christensen of Madison, Wisconsin on June 14, 2022.
Knowing that Dennis Christensen has been in the business of killing babies for a long time, we have every reason to believe that he intends to open an abortion clinic at 4236 Maray Drive in the near future.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR AN EMERGENCY PROTEST on FRIDAY, JULY 8 AT 11AM at 4236 Maray Drive.
We will have signs and banners.
Let’s keep do everything we can to keep abortion OUT of Rockford!
BREAKING NEWS
We have confirmed that there are plans to open an abortion mill in Rockford.
Dennis Christensen, the infamous former owner of the former abortion clinic on Broadway in Rockford, has purchased a property at 611 Auburn St in Rockford. It appears that he plans to use this property as an abortion clinic. (Click here for a local news report)
We must do everything in our power to stop abortion from coming back to Rockford.
PLEASE:
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Call your local alderman and tell them to do everything in their power to prevent this abortion mill from being open. It is VERY important that we flood their phone lines with calls.
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Find the list of city council members https://rockfordil.gov/city-council/
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Be ready to attend a rally SOON outside the planned abortion clinic. More information to come!
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PRAY and make sacrifices to ask Almighty God to intervene and foil the plans of the Evil One and keep Rockford ABORTION FREE
2nd End Roe Rally on June 11
We are excited that Roe v. Wade could soon be overturned! About 160 people joined to pray for the courage of the pro-life justices on the Supreme Court, and for the end of abortion in our country and state. Let’s show our city that we want to make abortion not only illegal, but UNTHINKABLE!
On Saturday, January 15th, a huge crowd gathered in downtown Rockford to pray and rally for the end of abortion. The event began with a rally at the Stanley J. Roszkowski United States Federal Courthouse and then participants walked in procession past the State of Illinois building, and then back to the Federal Courthouse.
The Rockford Family Initiative is an organization dedicated to promoting family values in the greater Rockford, IL area. We advocate for the love and protection of children in the womb and the defense of the traditional family.
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