In just one day, we talked to six people on the Help Line who should have qualified for Medicaid coverage for their abortion care, but got kicked off their insurance without even knowing it. Upcoming changes to Medicaid threaten to push more Pennsylvanians out of coverage. New work requirements are designed to push people deeper into poverty.
With state funding hanging in the balance, we’re still here, funding abortion care. And today we want to highlight one of the people who makes it possible.
At Bowl-a-Thon this year, 18 teams raised nearly $50,000 – with one team coming in swinging (erm, rolling) at $15,251! (dragon)fruit of the womb was a bowling team organized by Kara Pravdo this spring that brought in donations from 159 supporters. We asked Kara what motivates her to mobilize her community to fund abortion.
Kara said:
“In the 20 years I've worked in abortion care here in Philly—as an RN, a nurse practitioner, and an organizer—I've seen firsthand how access to safe, affirming, and affordable abortion care can change lives. I've also seen the harm that happens when people can't access care or don't feel seen and supported during their experience. Too often, the people facing the greatest barriers to care are those from communities that have been historically underserved by our health care system. I believe abortion should be an option for everyone who needs it, and I'm committed to doing what I can to help people feel supported, respected, and validated throughout their care.”
Since our last update in April, we’ve funded 500 people to get the abortion care they need, pledging an average of $305. Due to budget constraints, we’ve prioritized people experiencing homelessness and intimate partner violence. 88 of the folks we supported were experiencing homelessness, and 95 were experiencing intimate partner violence. 65 of those funded were teens.
Aliyah* is a young person who is currently houseless and sleeping on the streets. She had to choose between paying for her abortion and paying for a place to stay for a few nights. She had no idea what she would do. Aliyah planned to find someone who could care for her baby if forced to continue this pregnancy, but this isn’t the life she imagined for herself or a child. Just $300 made an enormous impact on her life and future.
Your support made it possible to provide Aliyah with relief from a new set of impossible choices. Thank you.
Get Involved
We are expanding our reach across Pennsylvania, and we need you. The Onward to Abortion Liberation initiative is building a statewide network of organizers ready to defend reproductive freedom through direct action, education, and community care. We are looking for passionate individuals to join us.
You don’t need to be an expert to start; you just need to care. Whether you can commit a few hours a month or dive deep into coordination, there is a place for you here.
Abortion In the News
While so many celebrated the 250th anniversary of this nation's founding this month, we reiterated a call to protect and defend abortion. Since the fall of Roe, we have supported countless individuals who have fled to Pennsylvania to see abortion care.
Did you know four years after Dobbs, the quiet shutdown of independent abortion clinics has become a nationwide crisis? 14 states have zero clinics and countless communities are without any nearby, in-person reproductive care. As stated in this Ms. Magazine article, independent clinics are often the only places to get clinical abortion care, unbiased information and support for pregnancy options. They are where people go to feel safe and respected, whether they are getting an abortion, continuing a pregnancy or getting gender-affirming care. In small towns and rural spaces, these clinics are often the only safe place for many people, especially those who are LGBTQIA+. If clinics close, there is often nowhere else to go.
This is why your support is so crucial to ensuring patients get the care they need and deserve.
