Spotlight on Fund Texas Choice

Radical – By covering travel expenses and providing practical support, we make access to abortion a reality for folks who might not have otherwise been able to make it to their appointments.

Compassionate – It can be overwhelming for our clients to keep track of all the different organizations that might be assisting them. We have made the conscious decision to not have complicated eligibility criteria (the only requirement is Texas residency). We trust our clients to know their own needs best, so we purposefully avoid asking intrusive questions and provide judgment-free support.

Revealing – While we support clients throughout the process of having an abortion, we strive to remain mindful of people’s intersecting identities. The work we do illuminates the many other issues that impact folks including institutional racism, systemic poverty, and domestic violence.

What should people know about your area of service?

Texas is a vast state with a dwindling number of clinics. In addition to our amazing partner organizations, Fund Texas Choice tries to address the unique needs of Texans no matter what city or town they’re coming from. Unless you live in the city of your appointment and have an estimated stage of pregnancy that a local clinic can serve, you may be looking at a round trip of anywhere from 80-1400 miles. This can mean lost wages, a scramble to find childcare, or worrying that you won’t have enough food for the trip.

When many people think about abortion, they might be under the impression that because it’s legal, it’s accessible. It’s important to keep in mind that financial stability (and systemic income inequality) play a big role in deciding who has access to abortion care and who doesn’t. If someone needs help getting to a clinic, they probably need help paying for the procedure. By providing assistance with transportation and lodging, there’s one less obstacle standing in the way of a person’s right to have an abortion with dignity.

Tell us more about your work coordinating travel:

We are known as the abortion access travel agency because we make all the necessary travel arrangements for our clients and keep in touch with them along the way. This includes booking hotels, purchasing bus and/or plane tickets, and assisting with rideshares or gas if necessary. Making sure our clients feel supported and empowered throughout their trip is one of our top priorities.  

Are you participating in Bowl-a-Thon?

Yes! The way we join is through a Pup-a-Thon! Pup-a-Thon plays a huge role in increasing visibility of the need for policies that truly promote access to abortion and reproductive health services generally. We see Pup-a-Thon as a great opportunity to educate the public on reproductive justice and what access truly looks like, particularly here in Texas. Added bonus: Pup-a-Thon helps us normalize conversations about abortion and makes asking for money to support it (which is a potentially scary thing) a little more fun.

What have you appreciated about being a part of the Network?

The community of individuals that works with or falls under the NNAF umbrella is truly amazing and provides a uniquely compassionate and committed support network. Because we share fundamental goals about ensuring abortion access, we are able to work together to accomplish that goal by pooling our resources and addressing issues head-on. We are also deeply appreciative of the specific, purposeful reproductive justice lens NNAF brings to this work, as it has allowed us to dig beneath the surface of these issues and work to address some of the deeper, systemic oppression that leads in inequitable abortion access.

Learn more about Fund Texas Choice and donate at https://fundtexaschoice.org/