“How did your organization get started?” is always one of the first questions people ask when they hear about the DC Abortion Fund (DCAF).
Walk with me down memory lane. In 1995, several volunteers at the DC Rape Crisis Center Hotline encountered a woman who was pregnant as a result of rape. They reached out to family and friends to raise enough money for her to have the abortion she wanted. The volunteers, in fact, raised more than enough. When they tried to return the unused money to donors, they were told “just save it for next time,” and the DC Abortion Fund was founded.
Today, more than a decade later, we’re proud to say that we don’t turn anyone away and last year we provided financial assistance to more than 200 low-income women in the DC metropolitan area.
One of our proudest moments was helping Lauren*, a 17 year-old student who came to DCAF when she discovered she was about 10 weeks pregnant. She sought help at her school in Maryland and her guidance counselor contacted DCAF about her circumstances. From a part-time job, Lauren had saved $50 from her last paycheck. Her mother was not working and her father was in jail. After postponing her appointment twice because she was unable to raise enough money, Lauren was soon seen at a local clinic because of financial support from the DC Abortion Fund, her godmother, and friends.
And now, DCAF is in the running with seven other amazing non-profits who have been selected by The Women’s Foundation as leaders and innovators in our community.
We got three things from The Women’s Foundation:
- a $10,000 award for our work with low-income women and girls;
- a nod that we are leading the change we wish to see in our community; and,
- a lot of encouragement to keep going.
Through the online vote, DCAF could win an additional $5,000. Here’s what that means to us:
$5,000 = 29 more women we can help
$5,000 = Another year of services through our free, confidential hotline
$5,000 = Improved access to reproductive healthcare
The online vote is only going on for another week and a half.
Get counted! Cast your vote right now.
Thanks Washington Area Women’s Foundation for your support!
Tiffany Reed is president of the DC Abortion Fund, a 2007 Leadership Awardee.
*Names changed for confidentiality
