Independent Abortion Funds: Their Critical Role in the Face of National Funding Cuts
In the month of July, Kayla (who is using a pseudonym to protect her privacy) called the Chicago Abortion Fund after trying for weeks to raise money for an abortion as well as the travel costs to get to the appointment. She was from rural Mississippi, a state that has a complete ban on abortions. She had already rescheduled the appointment to allow herself more time to pay for it. She was dejected when I spoke with her. She was devastated to learn that the national organization who had promised to fund her appointment in June, had cut their contribution by 40%. She didn’t even know how she would get to Chicago. CAF offers this kind of flexible and highly personalized support every day. While I’m grateful to have supported Kayla as she got her abortion, she should not have had to endure a financial and logistical nightmare to get care–nobody should.
Kayla’s story is the reality for too many people. Some people will never receive the necessary care if they don’t have abortion funds. This is an inhumane and unacceptable reality. This summer, three well-resourced and prominent national abortion funds have cut their budgets. The access landscape is already being affected, as are our callers like Kayla. The National Abortion Federation, and the Justice Fund Program at Planned Parenthood, announced major cuts to abortion funding in July. Access Fund, a Band-Aid to deal with the burgeoning crisis following the Roe v. Wade decision, will end on August 31. This will leave a hole of at least $1 million per month in abortion funding across the country. The combined cuts will create a hole of $5 to $7 million per month in abortion funding across the country, which will have devastating consequences. This prolonged crisis requires an immediate and sustained commitment to independent abortion funds, which are best equipped for supporting people who seek abortion care. CAF has pledged more than $600,000 in the first month following the cuts to cover travel and appointment costs. This is nearly double what we had pledged last year at this point. We collaborate with more than 75 clinics, hospitals, and abortion funds in Illinois and across the nation to provide support for our callers. Each and every one of our partners is feeling the effects of this crisis.
Abortion funds are adept at stretching resources, but we simply cannot make something from nothing. Without immediate and sustained investment in independent abortion funds from all levels–philanthropy, grassroots donations, and all levels of government–the reality is that thousands more people will not get the abortion care they need. The people will have to give birth and carry the financial, physical and mental burdens, with long-lasting effects on their families and community. It will soon be a reality. By meeting people’s urgent needs for abortion care, and by showing kindness, we’re making progress toward our vision of reproductive equity for all. In order to achieve reproductive justice, we must invest in independent abortion funds immediately and sustainably. This will allow us to provide abortion care for people now and everyday until we reach our goal of reproductive freedom for everyone.
