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Proceeds to benefit the DC and Baltimore Abortion Funds
About the Baltimore Abortion Fund:
The Baltimore Abortion Fund is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization that exists to help individuals in Baltimore, MD who need abortion care but cannot afford the full cost of the procedure. We operate a confidential helpline where our trained case managers offer referrals, financial counseling, and financial assistance to low-income Baltimore residents who need help paying for their abortion care.
About the DC Abortion Fund:
The DC Abortion Fund is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that makes grants to pregnant people in the DC area, as well as those traveling to the area, who cannot afford the full cost of an abortion. DCAF is the only organization in the DC region that focuses solely on providing this service in our community. We face a multitude of state and national restrictions designed to deny access to abortion care. These restrictions disproportionately affect low-income people. We hope to make “choice” a reality because we believe a person’s right to health care should not depend on her wallet.
How We Work
DCAF case managers work directly with area clinics and funds around the country to provide small grants that fill the gap between what patients can afford and the full cost of their procedure. To date, we have never turned away a single person who was eligible for DCAF funding. We have 13 volunteer board members who oversee DCAF’s work. The board supervises our case managers who continually operate three lines, one for each of our jurisdictions. We also have volunteers to help with organizing events and campaigns that raise money for the small grants we disburse.
Vision
The DC Abortion Fund’s vision is to make reproductive choice a reality.
Mission
The DC Abortion Fund exists to make reproductive choice a reality by providing financial support for individuals of any age who lack resources to access abortion care.
Values
The DC Abortion Fund affirms:
Our patients are the decision makers of their lives.
No individual should be denied one’s reproductive rights because of politicized barriers.
As a member of the abortion care community, we strive to offer respect and assistance in our services.
We value accountability to our patients, supporters, volunteers, and community partners.
We value the importance of grassroots volunteer efforts to our community and its people.
Inclusivity Policy
DCAF recognizes that every person who calls our helpline, as well as every volunteer and supporter, has a unique background and situation. We strive to serve everyone who contacts us regardless of: gender identity, race, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, religion, ability, place of origin, citizenship, and all other physical or social defining factors. DCAF is committed to recognizing, addressing, and working with all of these identities to the best of our ability.
DCAF believes in fully embodying the pro-choice principle by:
Offering an equitable distribution of financial assistance through grants to clinics on behalf of our clients;
Raising awareness in the DC area about how abortion restrictions – like the Hyde Amendment which limits or forbids Medicaid coverage of abortion services – harm our reproductive health and are linked to a rollback of women’s rights.
How We Started
In 1995, a volunteer with a local rape crisis center was working with a rape survivor who learned she was pregnant. In an effort to raise quick funds for the woman, who wanted an abortion, the social worker email blasted her entire address book asking for money. She raised enough money for the procedure and even had leftover resources. When she asked her colleagues what she should do with the extra money, they told her to “save it for the next time…” thus the DC Abortion Fund (DCAF) began.
For nearly 6 years, a handful of volunteers staffed our helpline. By 2005, DCAF’s call volume had increased so much that the organization had to grow significantly to keep up with the demand for our services. So a group of committed volunteers formally established The DC Abortion Fund. In 2006, our current Board of Directors started fresh. We standardized operating procedures for the fund, incorporated as a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia and obtained 501(c)3 status through the National Network of Abortion Funds, and implemented systematic fundraising efforts. We have since obtained our own nonprofit status and continue to grow as an organization. Despite these changes, we hold true to our roots as an all-volunteer, woman-led fund.