SEEN & HEARD
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 18 - FEBRUARY 25, 2022

ABORTION FUNDS 101

Source: (Edited/Adapted on 12/16/22)

National Network of Abortion Funds, Abortion Funds 101, retrieved from: https://abortionfunds.org/about/abortion-funds-101/
 

#1

Abortion funds are uniquely powerful because they work together at local, regional, national, and international levels. They're a network of local, autonomous organizations that fund abortion and build power to fight for cultural and political change.

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#2

Together, abortion funds form a network of over 90 grassroots organizations that directly support people to get the abortions they want and need. From July 2019 to June 2020, abortion funds were able to help 81,692 people—but that's only 35% of the 229,510 calls The National Network of Abortion Funds received that year. There is a great unmet need. As fierce as abortion funds are, they need more support from people like you who care about making abortion accessible.

 

#3

Abortion funds are autonomous in their structures and policies. Their collective power as a network is rooted in community connections and local expertise. Abortion funds are on the forefront of abortion access in their communities, and they work with abortion seekers directly to help them get through obstacles in a wide range of cultural and political environments.

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#4

Most abortion funds use hotlines and coldlines (where callers leave a voicemail) to do “intake” with people who reach out to them for help getting their abortion. They never ask a caller to provide they need support, only gather essential information, and make sure people feel respected and valued when they call.

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#5

People facing barriers to abortion access often face more than one, beyond the cost alone. That's why many abortion funds also provide practical support, including transportation, child care payment, lodging, translation services, abortion doulas, and more.

 

#6

​Abortion funds often work with each other if they can't fully assist a caller, or if a caller is traveling across regions. This collaborative funding is leading to more collaborative fundraising too!