The Equal Access Fund of East Tennessee believes that the right to choose abortion is meaningless without access to abortion services. Restrictions to access and funding are discriminatory because they especially burden poor women, young women and women of color.
EAF of Tennessee was created for the following purposes:
* to provide direct financial assistance to low income women & girls who wish to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but can't raise the funds to obtain a safe and legal abortion, and to dispense these funds in an equitable manner
* to raise public awareness of the devastating impact of denying access to safe and legal abortion services
* to support ongoing efforts to restore public funding of abortion in conjunction with The National Network of Abortion Funds
* * * * * * * * *
Katha Pollitt, award winning progressive author and dedicated feminist/activist, has shown her dedication to the EAF cause once more.
She has not only sent in a donation, but also agreed to send an autographed copy of her new book, Learning to Drive: And Other Life Stories, to anyone who donates $100 or more to EAF this week.
Read yesterday's case below.
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To my dependable group of pro-choice activists,
I thank you for all your help in the past. Unfortunately, our work is never done and I have a case this morning that is very timely. Please contact me back by email if you can help the case featured below. - Heather of Equal Access Fund
From my mailbox this morning:
"I had to turn away a very nice, very desperate couple this morning who are going to Atlanta this Friday for a 2 day procedure because she is almost in her 20th week. We didn't charge her for the ultrasound because money is an issue; the money they are putting together is for their living expenses and will wind up with their being evicted I'm afraid. I've given her several numbers to call or emails to send and made several calls on her behalf and am hoping for the best. She is doing a lot of footwork on her own, and bless her heart is trying everything she can to keep her spirits up. I thought the two of them were going to pass out when they learned how far along she was and they tried so hard to be so brave and adult. (edited to remove personal info) ... and they are going to be staying with her mom, who has her own set of problems apparently. She's a good kid and seems to be trying to do her best not to repeat the mistakes of the generation before her if you get my drift. Anyhow, I just wanted you to know who was contacting you and why if you do hear from her. Thanks for all you do for our patients and I hope this finds both of you doing well. Rena, KCRH "
and from the patient:
"my name is xxxxx, and i went to the knoxville center for reproductive health today in the hopes to have an abortion there, but i am too far along and have to go to atlanta this friday and saturday to have the procedure done. i am 21 and not ready in any way shape or form to be a mother. i am a hostess at a restaurant and enrolled at pellissippi state and i am in dire desperate need of any monetary help i can get. my boyfriend and i are working as hard as we can and are doing everything in our power to get through this point in our lives. knoxville center gave me a list of options for some possible help. my phone number is xxxxxxx if you could contact me as soon as possible given i am pressed for time. i appreciate anything you all can do for me, and greatly respect what you are doing for women like me. god bless. "
I wrote the patient to see how much it will take to solve her current woes and here is the response:
"i have an appointment at summit medical center in atlanta on friday the 28th continuing through saturday being that it will be a two day procedure. the total cost will be $1325. i have gotten $100 from the south mountain women's alliance, and with that i have about $400-500 between cash and a discover card. a woman affiliated with the south mountain women's alliance is offering $50 to help pay for my hotel room friday night. in case you'd like to contact me, my number is xxxxxx. thank you for your help and concern, it is greatly appreciated ."
My question to my email list of activists is this:
Could you donate today?
Thanks,
Heather Robinson
Equal Access Fund
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