The Supreme Court has done its worst and overturned Roe v. Wade, which will result in 13 states banning abortion and others severely restricting it. Now even more people will need to travel out of state to get abortions—that is, if they can quite literally afford to jump through all the hoops involved. The most impactful thing you can do right now is donate to abortion funds, independent clinics, and other key organizations. (Yes, vote for pro-choice candidates up and down the ballot this fall, but people need abortions right now.)
A first-trimester abortion from a clinic costs at least $500 before factoring in any costs like travel, hotel, or childcare—and abortions only get more expensive as pregnancy progresses. Health insurance often doesn’t cover abortion, and it most certainly doesn’t if people have to go out of state for care. Abortion funds and other practical support organizations (groups that help arrange and pay for travel) are the safety net that helps people cover these costs, but they don’t have the name recognition or fundraising power of bigger orgs who can blast out emails, texts, and digital ads. That means they get a fraction of the financial support that national groups do.
Not only is Planned Parenthood well-resourced—the billionaire MacKenzie Scott poured $275 million into its coffers in March—but it also faced criticism for not providing abortions in several abortion-hostile states, and for its regional health center systems trying to bust their staff unions. Providers say that another group, the National Abortion Federation, has taken such a cautious legal stance that it’s forced more patients to travel out of state than necessary. Giving locally is your best bet. (And feel free to flat-out ignore politicians trying to use this moment to fundraise. Their campaigns are not the priority.)
Some of these groups also need volunteers, but all of them definitely need money, and they’ll continue needing it long after today’s outpouring of anger. As many small organizations will tell you, they do appreciate people’s “rage giving,” but monthly donations—even small ones like $3 or $5—help them budget and plan for the future. Recurring donations help funds stay open year-round, rather than having to temporarily shut down until they raise more money. And if you can’t afford donating yourself, share existing fundraisers online or send donors a silly free thank you, like an exclusive photo of your dog or a niche meme.
You’re angry. You want to help. So here’s where to send your money:
Local abortion funds
There are more than 80 members of the National Network of Abortion Funds—plus several more funds that aren’t members. Find your local abortion fund or practical support organization (PSO) and donate to them directly. There’s also a mega link to split a donation between 90 funds and PSOs across the country (or, in the right-hand column, click “customize amounts” to enter any amount next to whichever groups you want to support. You can also toggle to make the donation monthly).
Independent abortion clinics
Independent (i.e. non-Planned Parenthood) clinics provide close to 60 percent of abortions done in the U.S., and are more likely than Planned Parenthoods to offer both medication and procedural abortions, as well as abortions later in pregnancy. There are dozens of indie clinics across the country, but following decades of targeted restrictions on abortion providers, indies are the only clinics left to help abortion seekers in these states: Mississippi, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming—and apparently, Alabama, after Planned Parenthood halted abortion services there in April.
Donate to the Keep Our Clinics campaign to help indie clinics stay open, or adopt a specific clinic. (Note that some individual clinics are set up as for-profit entities and donations may not be tax-deductible.)
Groups fighting criminalization
When states can ban abortion, every pregnancy is a potential crime scene. If/When/How is a reproductive justice organization that operates both a helpline for legal questions and a Repro Legal Defense Fund to cover bail and attorney fees for people criminalized for their miscarriages or abortions—you can donate to either arm of the organization. The National Advocates for Pregnant Women also provides direct legal assistance.
Providers answering medical questions
Self-managing your own abortion with pills can be very safe, but questions do come up. At the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline, people can call or text pro-choice medical providers between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. in all continental U.S. time zones for expert advice without being asked for their name or identifying information. The providers all volunteer their time, and donations will help the organization reach more people who need this specialized assistance.
Volunteers answering questions on Reddit
You’d be surprised at the number of people who create throwaway Reddit accounts in order to ask how and where they can get abortion pills or procedures, or help paying for them. On the r/abortion subreddit, volunteers with the Online Abortion Resource Squad (OARS) not only moderate the forum, but they “ensure that every Reddit post asking for abortion-related help gets a quality, accurate, compassionate answer.” The r/abortion subreddit is a more trusted resource than the Auntie Network subreddit, where well-meaning people may not be up to date on the latest laws and closest clinics. OARS is volunteer-run but donations will cover hosting fees and help the group apply for grants to hire two staff members.