DALLAS – The Perot Foundation of Dallas Texas today announced a $1 million gift to Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas to support the nonprofit’s essential health care and education services for low-income and uninsured Texans. More than 95% of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas’ services are basic, preventive health care, including lifesaving breast and cervical cancer screenings, birth control, and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.

“For nearly 100 years Planned Parenthood has helped to educate men and women regarding family planning and general family health,” said Margot Perot. “Our family has supported this nonprofit for many years because we are impressed with the work they do—providing birth control; scientifically based education; breast health exams; and basic, life-saving healthcare for women who cannot afford services otherwise. The Perot Foundation announces a gift of $1 million to Planned Parenthood to directly support this vital mission of providing preventive health care to Texas women. We also recognize the need to further inform the public of the mission of this great organization and the need to support it at this critical time.”

Women’s access to health care has been dramatically reduced statewide as a result of the exclusion of Planned Parenthood health centers from women’s health funding and programs. In 2011, the Texas Legislature slashed funding for the state’s family planning program by two-thirds and implemented a tiered funding system that excluded Planned Parenthood and other family planning providers from receiving funds. Due to these budget cuts and the tiered distribution of funds, Texas’ family planning program served only 75,160 women in 2012—63% fewer women than in 2011. New data released by the state shows that, without Planned Parenthood, significantly fewer women are accessing services through the Texas Women’s Health Program.