SACO — A baby bottle drive held at churches in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, and Lyman raised over $7,000, with more still trickling in, for pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

The drive was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, and parishioners at Good Shepherd Parish (comprised of Most Holy Trinity Church, Saco; St. Joseph Church, Biddeford; St. Margaret Church, Old Orchard Beach; St. Philip Church, Lyman; and St. Brendan Chapel, Biddeford Pool) responded by collecting loose change and paper money to stuff in baby bottles for donation to local pregnancy resource centers.

“Proceeds from the collection will be donated to the Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center in Sanford and ABBA in Portland,” said Guy Cadorette of the Knights of Columbus. “If anyone still has funds they want to donate, they can call (207) 205-4271.”

For over 25 years, the Alpha Pregnancy Resource Center, located on Washington Street in Sanford, has offered a safe and confidential haven to those facing an unplanned pregnancy. The center is committed to serving all clients in a caring manner regardless of age, race, income, religion, nationality, or disability. ABBA, located on Forest Avenue in Portland, is a medically certified women’s pregnancy resource center that offers pregnancy testing, obstetrical ultrasounds, STD testing and treatment, consultations, and women’s health education. The centers offer services free and confidentially.

The baby bottle drive is one of the many ways in which councils of the Knights of Columbus contribute and support this cause. Since 2009, ultrasound initiatives have allowed the Knights of Columbus across the country to purchase over 1000 ultrasound machines at a cost of over $50 million. The machines have been placed in pro-life pregnancy care centers in all 50 states, including several centers in Maine like First Step Pregnancy Resource Center in Bangor, ABBA in Portland, Hope House in Lewiston, Alpha Resource Center in Sanford, and Care Net pregnancy centers in Brunswick and Rockland.

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