A statement released by the Centre County United Way Friday, defending its decision not to fund a local human service agency, has angered some members of the pro-life community.

"I'm appalled at the dishonesty of the United Way and quite disappointed," said Barry Kroeker, vice president of the Centre Region Crisis Pregnancy Center, 114 S. Fraser St., in response to the statement.

Last July's decision to deny funding to the Crisis Pregnancy Center, which has been at the heart of debate between the United Way and the pro-life community, led to a boycott of the United Way fund-raising campaign by at least two local churches.

George Apaliski, chairman of the local United Way board of directors, wrote letters to the editors of The Daily Collegian and the Centre Daily Times on Friday to clear up questions people had about how the United Way made its decision.

The letter highlights several reasons why the United Way believes the center is motivated by "religious underpinnings" and, therefore, should not be a member agency.

But Kroeker said Apaliski's letter misrepresents the crisis center by stating that the services it provides are dependent directly or indirectly on creedal requirements.

"That's simply not true," Kroeker said. "We want to assure potential clients of the center that their needs will be met regardless of their religious affiliation."

In the letter, Apaliski wrote that, "There is a difference between the questions on the Client Information Sheet (at the crisis center) and, for example, the Interfaith Mission, which runs the Food Bank."

Apaliski stated in the letter that the following questions are included on the information sheet, which is filled out after a counseling session at the center: "Was the client a Christian before coming? Did the client accept Christ today?"

"It was obvious to the committee that these types of questions, coupled with other documentation, contravene United Way policy," Apaliski wrote.

Kroeker said no client has ever been turned away from the center for not being a Christian.

The relationship between the Crisis Pregnancy Center and the United Way began last year when the center requested funding for its pregnancy support program. The program provides clothing and supplies to pregnant women.

Although member agency status was originally granted, the United Way decided to reverse its decision after volunteers and supporters of other member agencies expressed concern over the center's "evangelical approach," Apaliski wrote.

In response to a request for reinstatement, a United Way committee investigated the center and recommended in December that funding still be denied.

While the United Way refused to support the crisis center, it continued to fund the Women's Resource Center's Rape/Abuse Crisis Hotline.

At the request of some members of the pro-life community, an investigation into the policies of the Women's Resource Center, 140 Nittany Ave., was also conducted. The investigators recommended continued support of the hotline.

The United Way's decision to fund only one of the women's programs led to the boycott of the agency's fund-raising campaign by Our Lady of Victory Church, 820 Westerly Parkway, and the State College Assembly of God, 2643 W. College Ave.

Sue Rogacs, political education director of Citizens Concerned For Human Life, said her organization advised the local pro-life community to bypass the United Way and give directly to charities.

The crisis center advertises as a "Christian organization" and does not refer women to abortion clinics but, Rogacs said, if the pregnancy support program is judged by the ideology of the center as a whole, the Rape/Abuse Crisis hotline should be evaluated in the greater context of the Women's Resource Center's philosophy.

"They should stick with it across the board and use the same criterion," Rogacs said.

The Women's Resource Center has stated that it has a pro-choice philosophy and will refer women to abortion clinics.

Rogacs said the United Way's statement will not affect the boycott.

"We're not letting up on that," she said.