West Fund
open
Supporting people in New Mexico, Texas.
Instructions
West fund offers direct funding to clinics in New Mexico (Southwestern Women's Options in Albuquerque and Full Circle in Las Cruces).
People obtaining abortion care at those clinics can ask the staff there about financial support from West Fund.
About West Fund
In the summer of 2013, Texas Governor Rick Perry called a special legislative session with the intention of passing the most restrictive, omnibus abortion bill (HB 2) in the country. Despite a 13 hour filibuster at the capital, dozens of rallies across the state, and over 19,000 activists advocating against the bill, HB 2 was signed into law.
Knowing that this new law would result in the closure of many abortion clinics in the area, a group of students and community activists in El Paso, with the help of national organizations like URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity and the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF), created the West Fund in November 2013. It is completely grass-roots and all-volunteer run, made up of young people, queer people, and people of color. All of our volunteers and supporters reflect these identities as well.
We know that it is important to have an organization like West Fund because we recognize that many pregnant people in Texas who would choose abortion are unable to because of financial hardship, social pressure, or a lack of local providers. We believe that the right to reproductive choice—and the life a person wants to live—is denied when a pregnant person is unable to access abortion services, so we are dedicated to helping people who want an abortion but do not have enough money to pay for it.
West Fund's Community
We began funding in December 2014. At first, we only funded around 5 people per month, but it has steadily been increasing to 10+ per month.
Our community is very unique. El Paso is on the border of three cities, three states, and two countries, so our culture is heavily influenced by a combination of these things. We have many people crossing different borders every single day, and this can make life more difficult for some people to access different resources. If our last remaining clinic closes, we will be the largest U.S. city without an abortion provider. At the same time, we are the 8th poorest city in the country according to a recent (2015) report, which adds to the experiences many people in this region have.
Get Involved
Click here to donate to the West Fund and start making a difference in your community today.
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