JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite the Supreme Court’s decision Friday to overturn Roe v. Wade, a local organization says it will continue with its mission to help those in need obtain safe abortions.
Florida Access Network, a nonprofit organization, helps fund abortion care by paying for lodging, childcare and travel to abortion clinics in the state.
FAN also helps people find abortion clinics.
“If someone doesn’t know where to go and reaches out to us before they set up an appointment anywhere, we figure what city they’re in, what’s the closest clinic,” FAN intake coordinator Alyx Carrasquel said.
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The organization receives all its funding for abortion care through donations.
Carrasquel said this year alone, the organization has received about a million dollars worth of requests to fund abortions.
“We’ve only been able to fund about $100,000, give or take,” Carrasquel said. “The request was so large, and we only have a certain amount of money we can fund.”
Now that the right to have an abortion has been overturned, Carrasquel said FAN will not stop doing its work as long as the law allows it.
“Safe abortions are going to remain, and we’re going to make sure people have access,” Carrasquel said.
She said the organization is going to stop funding abortions for a week to make sure they know the next steps they have to follow with the ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
She said the Supreme Court’s ruling is just motivation for the organization to work harder to help people get safe abortions.
Even if Florida were to ban abortions outright, FAN will still help those looking for abortion clinics find one out to state, if the law allows it.
“I want people to know we’re here to support people throughout the process,” Carrasquel said. “I just want people to know abortion access is very important and that’s what we fight for to destigmatize abortion.”