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Clicks For A Cause

http://youtu.be/Z2LQQqq55EE

(LAS CRUCES) -- An area organization is using photography to raise much-needed funds for a program that's helping hundreds of young women.  Lisa Mayhew-Ortiz is using her love of photography to give back to the community.
 
"I never thought I could actually make it a business until I just said you know I'm just gonna go for it, so being able to do what I love and also help the community I think what better way to do that," she said.
 
Ortiz is helping Turning Point, a pregnancy help center in Las Cruces.  She's taking appointments for people interested in getting photographed with money raised going to the agency.
 
"We're gonna be doing it in Mesilla at the little courtyard there and we're gonna have different spots and I'm gonna get them up and just photograph them for 15 minutes or longer depending on how many people we get out there and when I'm done I'll edit the pictures and they'll have the digital files and print release and they can print them wherever they want," she said.
 
Having the experience of being a teen mom, Ortiz can relate to the growing number of clients walking threw the doors.
 
"In 2011, we saw 114 clients in the total year, January to December.  This year, we're already at 136 clients.  In 2012, so at the end of the year, we'll have more than double our numbers," said executive director, Debbie Taylor.
 
The organization opened in 2010, serving clients as young as 14 years of age.  The young women are offered free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasounds, counseling and education.  
 
"These kids come in here and they just don't know, they don't know that really safe sex is, it's a different issue.  Dr. Levitino does a lot of education to groups that come to our center, to youth groups to school groups, things of that nature and just even the clients that we see that have a negative pregnancy test, helping them to determine not to wind up not in our center," said Taylor.
 
The fundraiser, "Clicks for a Cause," is taking place this weekend in Mesilla.  To learn more about helping just dial 575-520-1147.

Carlos Correa previously served as KRWG's News Director. He covered stories throughout the area, and previously anchored the weekly program Fronteras-A Changing America, which airs Thursday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 5:30pm, and Sunday at 11:30am on KRWG-TV.