Texas abortion and practical support funds have been fighting against suppression of abortion care in many ways for years.  Abortion funds are just that – they help people find and pay for their abortion care, which can include expenses of the procedure itself, but may times also includes lodging, travel, and practical needs like finding childcare and other assistance. Time constraints are an unfortunately frequent obstacle for abortion-seekers and those who help them.  

In Texas, the state’s Senate Bill 8, amplified barriers that abortion-seekers met even before Roe was officially overturned. The law included “mandatory ultrasound and counseling visit–required at least 24 hours before an abortion,” as well as anti-abortion fake clinics which dissuade people from getting abortion care and add time and hurdles to the process of getting necessary health care. Now, it is officially illegal to have an abortion here in Texas, and abortion funds are fighting proposed city ordinances banning travel for abortion that, even if they don’t go into effect, create confusion and fear for people who would otherwise seek abortion. This has a chilling effect on their ability to get the health care they need. We discussed this reality and some of the consequences of banning travel for abortion-seekers in a webinar available here.  

According to The Texas Tribune, “the number of abortions statewide from September to December (2021) dropped by 46% compared with the same period in 2020.” [1] This underscores the significance of community support and care that is needed. Sharing information and resources plays a crucial role in helping people make informed decisions about their best options in abortion care. 

Communities of color, especially Black and Indigenous people as well as immigrant communities, endure the heaviest impact of abortion bans and have limited access to fundamental health care. Since Texas has enabled private citizens to sue people who help provide or enable abortion care, there have been frivolous lawsuits taking time and resources away from people. [2] Anti-abortion politicians persistently strategize how to harass the indigenous community, Tejan@s – people who are queer and who reside in Texas – seeking abortions, as well as abortion funds, as they are uniquely at risk of heightened anti-immigrant laws and policing. [3] Undocumented people may avoid seeking care entirely due to the fear of detention and deportation. [4] We recognize the undeniable link between immigration and abortion issues, and we discussed the resulting impacts on those affected by the barriers to abortion. 

One of the biggest barriers Texans face has been the requirement that they travel to different states for abortion care. This can significantly impact low-income people and their families, causing financial strain through missed work and increased travel costs. [5] That is why abortion funds are a crucial help for people seeking abortion care. Residents of the Rio Grande Valley in particular, which have limited health care access and limited other resources, encounter numerous obstacles to abortion, including government-imposed constraints, financial limitations, fear of criminalization, and social stigma. Because the Rio Grande Valley is home to a variety of people, we need to keep encouraging and supporting access to abortion care and practical support.

Here are some resources available to Texans in the Rio Grande Valley and statewide: 

Frontera Fund, located in the Rio Grande Valley:

• Helps fund abortion care needs for residents of the RGV area to seek abortion care outside of Texas. You can learn how to get help from them here.  
• You can volunteer with them! 
• Donate to Frontera Fund here. 

South Texans for Reproductive Justice, located in the Rio Grande Valley: 

• Ships free Plan B and safe sex resources including infographics, condoms, dental dams. Request Free Plan B here. 
• Each month they have a Plan B packing party, volunteer here. 
• They have partnered up with a local doula collective and Holy Family Birthing Center who aim to assist RGV families by providing complimentary diaper supplies, help them out here. 

West Fund Texas, along the border town of El Paso: 

• Currently looking for Board Members, if you’re interested make sure to check out their page here. 
• Donate to their efforts here! 

Frontera Folx, near El Paso: 

• Offers free Plan B by direct message on their Instagram.  
• Become a member or volunteer with them.  
• Donate to their mission here! 

Texas Equal Access (TEA) Fund, in north Texas: 

• Offers financial assistance for those seeking abortion. 
• Developing support for parents and children lacking resources through their Infant Care Resource Drive. 
• Need infant care supplies? Text them 1-844-832-3863. 
• Get involved with TEA Fund here. 

Fund Texas Choice in central Texas: 

• Offers transportation and lodging for people seeking abortion care. 
• Donate to their efforts here!  

Sueños Sin Fronteras, in central Texas: 

• Offers pregnancy and postpartum care. 
• Get involved with them here.
• Donate to their work! 

Bridge Collective, located in Austin:  

• Offers free Plan B, among other resources. 
• Learn how you can volunteer with them!  

Black Book Sex Ed, located in San Antonio: 

• Offers a free Sex Ed kit, request one here.  
• Learn how you can volunteer with them!  
• Help them fulfill their wish list. 

Islander Feminists, located in Corpus Christi:  

• Offers free Plan B to those residing in Nueces county, request here. 
• Learn how to become a student member here. 

Buckle Bunnies Fund, statewide abortion fund, base of operations in San Antonio: 

• Offers Repro Bag kits for the San Antonio and Corpus Christi area, such as diapers, Emergency Contraception, condoms, lube, NARCAN, fentanyl testing strips, pads/tampons, painkillers (Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen), submit a request here. 
• Become a monthly donor and get free stickers here. 

Lilith Fund, another statewide abortion fund: 

• Offers support with pregnancy option information, post-abortion or postpartum comfort care here. 
• Direct financial and emotional support here. 
• Their Gaslit podcast is all about reproductive justice and the fight to restore abortion access in Texas, you can listen here. 

Janes Due Process, statewide, also helps teens access abortion care: 

• Learn about Judicial Bypass here. 
• Learn about Birth Control and Plan B here.  
• Get a Repro Kit by texting: 866-999-5263 or find more info here. 

We have the freedom to make our own reproductive choices, on our own terms. If you can’t donate to a Texas abortion fund or your local fund, try to volunteer your time, please share their social pages, talk to your friends about the need for supporting abortion access, and share their essential resources to help continue demystifying and destigmatizing abortion! 

Sources: 

1. https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/18/texas-heartbeat-bill-abortions-law/ 
2. https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/09/texas-abortions-by-the-numbers/ 
3. https://www.texastribune.org/2021/09/10/texas-abortion-law-ban-enforcement/ 
4. https://prismreports.org/2022/06/03/undocumented-people-already-living-post-roe/ 
5. https://latino.ucla.edu/research/abortion-bans-latinas/#_edn17