The role of independent funds to help people access abortion is growing
Independent funds that help people pay for abortions have been flooded with donations since Roe v. Wade was overturned, but demand and costs are also rising as more states enact restrictive bans.
Kim Floren has spent the last several weeks trying to comfort people panicking about the end of Roe v. Wade.
"Everybody has been on the spectrum from just being in tears to total panic about what they're going to do," said Floren, who runs South Dakota's Justice Through Empowerment Network, one of more than 100 independent abortion funds around the country.
Abortion funds raise and distribute money to people who need help paying for abortions, including procedure and travel costs. In 2020, funds across the country helped nearly 45,000 people pay for abortions.
Most funds serve specific states or regions, while others focus on particular populations like . Some, like Floren's, are run entirely by volunteers. Others are
