For more than 30 years, the Fund for Choice has made it possible for our patients to access abortion care, regardless of their financial status. Over the past few years, demand for Fund for Choice support has grown as the number of patients seeking abortions has increased. Each month, more than $67,000 in Fund for Choice grants are requested. That’s more than $800,000 in need each year, and that’s only from the patients who actively seek assistance. The actual need is likely far greater. In a normal year, our patients’ needs have far exceeded the funds we have available.

And we know now there will be no more “normal” years. With the influx of patients we’re expecting, the increased need is exponential – not only for affordable, accessible abortion care, but also for financial assistance with transportation costs, lodging, and childcare while receiving abortion care. The barriers that our patients typically and wrongly face just became even greater.

As an increasing number of states ban and restrict abortion, and protections being dismantled federally, we anticipate that millions of people across the country will lose access in their states. This includes our neighboring states like West Virginia and Ohio. Early estimates indicate that, should Pennsylvania maintain access to abortion care, we could expect to see an influx of nearly 8,000 patients.

We are planning for that surge in patient volume. In fact, since the pandemic began, the number of abortion visits to our affiliate has been climbing. In FY21, we provided 6,858 abortion visits, up from 5,704 in FY20, and 4,298 in FY19. That’s an increase of nearly 60%. We’ve added abortion provision at two additional health centers and continue to increase our staffing capacity. We’ve known that abortion access was under attack, and we are prepared to meet the moment. But we cannot meet it without your support.  Donating to our Fund for Choice means enabling our communities to have control over their bodies, their lives, and their futures.