Abortion Assistance Groups Struggle to Meet Demand as Travel Expenses Soar

Rising expenses force abortion assistance organizations to limit financial aid to women seeking abortions due to state bans.

By Thea Felicity

Sep 25 2024, 12:10 PM EDT

Abortion organizations cut aid expenses after donations declined while travel fares remained high.

Pro-Choice Supporters Rally In DC Against Restrictive Abortion Laws — WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: People hold up signs during a women's pro-choice rally on Capitol Hill, July 11, 2013 in Washington, DC. The rally was hosted by Planned Parenthood Federation of America to urge Congress against passing any legislation to limit access to safe and legal abortion. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Two years ago, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which, according to AP News, resulted in a surge of donations to abortion organizations called "rage giving." The abortion funds have been a great help to women who live in states where abortion is banned.

Unfortunately, the rage-giving slowed over time, leading organizations to fail to meet the full financial needs of women seeking abortions. Besides legal and health procedures, there are travel and accommodation expenses, all of which have risen over the years.

For instance, AP News shared that the National Abortion Federation, who offer halved costs to those seeking abortions, has pulled back to 30% only. While they accumulated a $55 million budget in 2024, rising demand and costs overtook their funds.

Abortion Groups on Budget

In a Denver Post report, other abortion organizations, such as The Blue Ridge Abortion Fund, have to pause helping women until they get more funds. Cobalt Abortion Fund has the same experience as they set limits on how much they can spend for a woman.

To compare, Cobalt only spent $206,000 overall in 2021. This year, they are expected to spend over $2.2 million with most being poured into travel and accommodation expenses. Company president Karen Middleton likens their role now to that of a travel agency as patients seek more help with transportation costs than the procedure itself.

In the same AP News report, the demand for travel aid increased after Texas implemented an abortion ban. Blue Ridge Abortion Fund saw most of their patients from Florida, with an average of $3,000 per person. Since abortion bans in several states force women to travel long distances, the affected organizations think that the circumstances will not ease in the next few years.

However, the pressure to limit these funds could ease depending on the outcome of the November ballots. Some states, like Florida, will overturn abortion bans and reduce the need for travel. Organizations hope that donations will be made still to abortion funds themselves rather than purely in supporting ballot measure campaigns.