Margaret Sanger, a family planning advocate, founded Planned Parenthood in 1916 in New York City. As a public health nurse, she encountered thousands of women who were financially and physically burdened due to a lack of family planning services. Sanger and her San Francisco counterparts, Dr. Adelaide Brown and Dr. Florence Holsclaw, formed Planned Parenthood with the backing of the American Association of University Women to advocate for women's and children's health rights.

Today, reproductive health is still a primary health concern for most women from puberty through menopause. So it's not surprising that Planned Parenthood serves as many women's primary health care provider. In fact, polling shows that one in four women has used Planned Parenthood as a primary heath care provider at some time in her life.

"Planned Parenthood Golden Gate has been exemplary in fulfilling the vision of Margaret Sanger,” Alexander C. Sanger, president of Planned Parenthood of New York City notes. “Her vision, that every woman should have the right to decide whether and when to bear children and that every child should be born wanted and loved into a family ready to care for it, is being pursued passionately every day by Planned Parenthood Golden Gate." And coming from the founder's grandson, we take that as the highest form of praise.

Learn more about our founder Margaret Sanger.

Learn more about the organization Planned Parenthood.