Where to Donate and How to Help Keep Abortion Legal

By now you’ve likely heard about Alabama’s near total abortion ban, and you may be wondering where to donate or how to help. The law was signed by the state’s governor on Wednesday, May 15, making the most restrictive anti-abortion law in America a reality. Extreme abortion bans like this one, which doesn’t even make exceptions in cases of rape or incest, can be deadly for people who need abortions, and, unfortunately, there are more just like it passing nationwide. Recently, multiple states, including Ohio, Mississippi, and Kentucky, have also passed restrictive anti-abortion legislation, all of which may end up in the highest court in the land. Essentially, if enough abortion bans are overturned by lower courts, it could push the Supreme Court to revisit abortion laws in the country overall, and challenge Roe v. Wade.

As more states attempt to restrict access to legal, safe abortions and reproductive rights, that doesn’t necessarily mean abortions in America will end, only that they may become unsafe. Thinking about this may be terrifying, but even if you’re feeling despair or outrage, which is completely valid, it’s important to remember that we can channel this energy and fear into fuel to make the world better. As activist and writer Clarissa Brooks recently said in a tweet regarding Georgia’s abortion ban, we need to keep in mind that there are people and organizations who have been doing the work to champion and save reproductive justice and abortion rights. “Orgs are on the ground. Orgs are in the courts. Orgs are continuing outreach to people with a uterus in GA who deserve bodily autonomy,” Brooks tweeted. Acknowledging the work already being done by those organizations but also donating to and supporting those doing the work is so important.

So if you’re looking for a way to help, look no further. Here's what you can do:

Donate to local grassroots abortion funds.

The best way you could possibly help right now is by donating to abortion funds, organizations that help people pay for and access abortion care when they don’t have the financial means to afford it on their own. Abortion funds use donations to help cover the procedure costs, transportation, and a place to stay before, during, and after. These funds can also be used to cover time off from work, childcare costs, and other financial barriers people who need abortions may experience.

In Alabama, the Yellowhammer Fund helps cover abortions for people at one of the three abortion clinics in Alabama, or helps get them to another state for a procedure as soon as possible. Other local abortion funds in areas where extreme abortion bans could affect people include the Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund and Women Have Options.

Every dollar counts, and donating directly to the cause will make abortion more immediately accessible to people there during scary times.

Give your money and time to organizations that are led by women of color, who are most affected by abortion bans.

Causes like Sister Song, Access Reproductive Care-Southeast, National AsianPacific American Women’s Forum, and Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), to name a few, are doing the vital work of centering on women of color, who are often the most endangered by abortion bans and restrictions to reproductive rights.

Data shows in Alabama alone that black women would be most impacted by the state’s abortion ban. And it’s not just that they won’t be able to get abortions, it’s that they then face increased risk of criminalization.

“Black women know that whenever you criminalize abortion, then it’s black women who are going to be locked up,” Georgia state representative Renitta Shannon told Rolling Stone. “Whenever you don’t cover abortions through insurance, it’s young black women who are going to suffer — we’re the majority of the minimum-wage earners. All this stuff is connected.”

While Alabama’s abortion law criminalizes doctors who provide abortions, not the people getting them, this idea still stands. As The Cut pointed out, the law would most impact poor people in the state who can’t afford to travel outside state lines to get an abortion. Those people, The Cut reported, are disproportionately people of color. Giving money to or supporting organizations led by people of color with your time and energy redistributes wealth and power, and ensures that the communities most in need are being prioritized.

Share receipts of what you’ve given to abortion funds with companies pledging to match donations.

The good news is that even if you can’t afford to donate much, there are quite a few companies that have started their own fundraising through matching campaigns.

If you feel like doubling down and making your donation go even further, you can send your donation receipts to companies like Bird and Stone or Flawless Hacks, and they’ll match whatever you donated by giving the same amount to that organization.

“When the restrictions on reproductive rights started being announced in Georgia and Alabama, we were seeing a lot of engagement on social media from our community about the abortion bans. We wanted to find a way that we could both give back to support organizations on the frontlines in those states and activate our community at the same time,” Caitlin Kawaguchi, Bird and Stone’s Director of Marketing and Partnerships told Teen Vogue. “Doing a matching campaign was a great way that we could donate and encourage others to donate, while amplifying the work of local organizations and expertise. Matching campaigns are powerful because people have different abilities to donate, but with that extra incentive of your donation being doubled…we believe that more people are encouraged to give, no matter how much.”

And even if you can’t donate or send a donation receipt, you can share info about matching campaigns to inspire others to give. “It’s a wonderful way to be a part of a larger community fighting for reproductive justice together,” Kawaguchi explained.

Donate to big organizations like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.

Giving to national organizations is still useful, and donating to the ACLU makes it possible for them to take abortion bans to court and fight the unconstitutional bills out of existence. Giving to Planned Parenthood allows for the organization to continue to provide free or affordable reproductive health care and abortions to people all over the country.

Ultimately, standing in solidarity with smaller organizations is a priority, considering that local dollars often go further by helping people in communities in immediate danger as soon as possible, but at the end of the day what matters is that you’re giving to a cause in some way.

Consider finding the local abortion fund in your community and start donating your time or your money.

Find your local abortion fund by visiting the National Network of Abortion Funds. Here you’ll be able to find out how to support these grassroots initiatives in other ways, too, so there’s no need to feel guilty or stressed if you can’t afford to shell out the cash. There are plenty of ways to spread hope and change without dollar bills.

Support organizations and causes that specifically center LGBTQ people and transgender people who need reproductive health care, and not just cis women.

While the abortion bans being passed in states around the country are misogynistic in nature, it’s necessary to keep in mind that the language we use and the causes we support shouldn’t be trans-exclusionary — because abortion access affects more than just women. Cisgender women are not the only ones who need access to abortions and other forms of reproductive health care, and it’s often harder for transgender and nonbinary people to access the care they need.

Donating to LGBTQ-centered organizations, like Magic City Acceptance Center, in Alabama, and other local LGBTQ centers, helps them support people who are already largely discriminated against in the health care field. In addition, when we talk about abortion, who it affects and who we need to protect and fund access for, engaging in conversations that center people who need abortions instead of just women makes sure we’re not excluding anyone directly affected by the conversation.

“Uplifting people of color and LGBTQ+ people in this fight is critical. These groups are too often left out or not centered when they are the ones that are disproportionately affected by these bans, especially in lower-income communities,” Jordyn Close, a black abortion storyteller and URGE state coordinator told Teen Vogue. “Uplifting these people as well as POC and LGBTQ+ orgs is the only correct way to make progress as a movement.”

Remember, no matter how little or how much you can donate, or what supports you’re able to give, you’re not alone in this. Collective fundraising with bake sales or other kinds of creative community events can be helpful ways to raise money to donate, and a way to raise awareness. And at the end of the day, you can feel good about giving not just your money but your energy as well.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated.