Accomplishments are sometimes hard to demonstrate, especially for a ministry such as Wisconsin Family Council (WFC) because WFC does not always know how its publications or services impact the legislature or a community. For example, several years ago, some school districts and school board members used an in-depth paper on educational reforms, published by WFC, to review school policies. The total impact of that publication may never be known.

From publications to legislative work to providing research and help to individuals, WFC is actively making a difference. Some of the documented accomplishments are listed below.

Publications

Other than WFC's regular publications, certain projects stand out. For example:

• WFC's 1998 Wisconsin Marriage Report, which surveyed Wisconsin citizens about their attitudes, beliefs and behaviors regarding marriage. Several pastors have indicated that they use the report when they counsel engaged couples.
• WFC's 1997 Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, which reviewed the historic trends in Wisconsin such as number of abortions, unwed mothers, and juvenile crime. WFC will release the 2007 edition of this publication later this summer.
• Voter's Information Publication (VIP). In 2006, WFC distributed more than 150,000 VIPs throughout Wisconsin, helping voters make educated decisions at the polls. The 2006 VIP was also posted on WFC's website, enabling even more people to access the information.

Legislation

Over the years, WFC has had many legislative achievements, many of which have been behind the scenes. However, some have been more observable, such as helping to:

• Pass legislation that allowed religious groups to be exempt from the law that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation.
• Pass legislation that banned partial-birth abortions and required a 24-hour waiting period before a mother can obtain an abortion.
• Modify legislation that would have chipped away at parental rights.
• Stop an attempt to require churches to pay property taxes.