Journalist and former Teen Vogue editor-in-chief Elaine Welteroth celebrated her first Mother’s Day with a fundraiser to help people access abortion services. As of 8 p.m. eastern Sunday evening, the Instagram post raised $10,345.69 for the National Network of Abortion Funds. 

Welteroth has been joyously documenting her pregnancy journey on Instagram alongside her hubby. But she took a moment out of basking in the glow of new motherhood to recognize the stakes in the fight for reproductive rights and justice. 

“While I have always been passionate about protecting women’s rights, becoming a mom has made this even more personal for me,” wrote Welteroth. “To have a baby at the very same time as my country is taking away a woman’s right to choose when and how we become mothers is ironic to say the least.”

Welteroth continued to say while she didn’t have a master plan, she was committed to raising funds to support the National Network of Abortion Funds. She also promised to boost action items on her account.

A network of over 90 independent abortion funds, the National Network of Abortion Funds is in the middle of its annual fund-a-thon. Fund-a-thon allows people to come together and help various abortion funds raise money and awareness about the issues. 

The network is hosting a webinar entitled “Building Power with Abortion Funds” on Wednesday, May 11 at 7 p.m. eastern. 

“The constitutional protections set in Roe have never been enough to guarantee access to care, especially for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, and people working to make ends meet,” read the post. “This moment demands that we all raise our voices and fight for a future in which abortion is affordable and available in every community, with identity-affirming care, from trusted providers.”

While Planned Parenthood has received very generous donations in recent weeks, abortion funds often struggle to raise the money needed to help people access needed services. The majority of abortions are performed by independent clinics, which have been dwindling in number due to restrictions in several states. 

Clinics like the West Alabama Women’s Health Center, Preterm in Ohio and the Feminist Women’s Health Center in Atlanta work with abortion funds to ensure patients with financial needs can get support, particularly those who have to travel long distances. While abortion remains legal for the time being, accessing care is still cost-prohibitive for many. 

Rev. Kenyetta Chinwe, the faith advocacy coordinator for Sister Song, shared the following action items in a post last week.

Donate to your local/regional abortion fund
Advocate for your local government to provide information, funding and other support to folks seeking abortion care and for your state government to pass laws protecting the right to abortion care.
Donate to a Black and POC run Reproductive Justice organization as BIPOC people will be disproportionately affected by restrictive laws
Dare to start brave conversations in your faith communities. For help with ways to do that sign up for future communication at sacreddignity.org
Sign our justice statement for progressive people of faith and add your name to faithful people from around the country who assert that their faith compels them to advocate for justice and mercy.

Disclaimer courtesy of Renee Bracey Sherman: If you or anyone you know needs assistance self-managing a miscarriage or abortion, please call the Miscarriage + Abortion Hotline at (833) 246-2632 for confidential medical support or the Repro Legal Helpline at (844) 868-2812 for confidential legal information and advice. 

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