Utah Abortion Fund: Aiding in the Fight to Sustain Reproductive Wellness

On Friday June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a piece of legislation that made abortion access a federal right within the United States. Many joined together this summer to protest at the Utah State Capitol to let government officials know they would not settle for unjust legislation that controlled their bodies. Slowly, protests and events became less frequent, but the fight for abortion healthcare continues. The Utah Abortion Fund (UTAF) continues to advocate and fight for reproductive justice for individuals in Utah seeking support and assistance.

As well as being advocates for reproductive rights, UTAF is an “autonomous, grassroots collective offering abortion funding, education and solidarity-centered support,” says a representative of the anonymous-facing group. “Our vision is to increase reproductive justice by redistributing resources, sharing information and providing support to anyone experiencing barriers and oppression under Utah’s restrictive abortion laws.” With the belief that every person deserves access to abortion care, UTAF operates under frameworks of racial, economic and gendered healthcare inclusivity. The fund was created in 2019 and has been working alongside The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF)—an organization created 30 years ago to support smaller, grassroots funds—since they were founded.

“We want to give folks as many options as possible, so we have lots of condom varieties and add ons like dental dams and ovulation tests.”

UTAF offers a variety of resources to aid those seeking abortion care, but they primarily dedicate time to operating their health line. “It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to coordinate with our callers, clinics, volunteers and other funds,” they say. Reasons why an individual may call or reach out to UTAF is because they need financial assistance to pay for an abortion, assistance finding or getting to a clinic or help navigating healthcare barriers. Those requiring financial aid may email UTAF at hello@utafund.org, but since they are a small, volunteer-run collective, it may take them up to 48 hours to get in touch.

“We have a monthly budget that we allocate to support callers,” they say. “UTAF doesn’t have any eligibility requirements for funding support, and we trust callers to communicate what they need so we can support the best we can within our monthly budget.” UTAF offers financial assistance for anyone within—or traveling to—Utah. This can include paying the portion of an abortion procedure or gas and hotel payments. They say, “Our callers are navigating travel, childcare, work schedules and other obstacles in order to get abortion care. We try to lighten that burden as much as we can.”

Beyond guidance about the nearest abortion clinic and general education about the legal status of abortion in Utah, UTAF also offers free reproductive wellness packages that anyone can request. Within their “Repro Wellness Kits,” one can find emergency contraception pills, condoms, lube and pregnancy tests. “We want to give folks as many options as possible, so we have lots of condom varieties and add ons like dental dams and ovulation tests,” they say. “We hope that by making them available by mail, folks can learn about different sexual and reproductive health tools and learn more about our work.”

“Our vision is to increase reproductive justice by redistributing resources, sharing information and providing support to anyone experiencing barriers and oppression under Utah’s restrictive abortion laws.”

UTAF accepts one-time and recurring donations, the link for which can be found on their website, utabortionfund.org. Their Amazon wishlist is another resource where you can donate more practical items such as shipping materials for their wellness kits and paper and toner for outreach materials. For those looking to get involved or volunteer, UTAF’s Fund-a-Thon begins in March and is their biggest fundraising event of the year. Their social media accounts are the easiest way to find volunteer opportunities and information on future events as well as how to request a wellness kit.

With an uncertain future for abortion healthcare in Utah, UTAF provides crucial solidarity and stability. Check them out on their socials @utabortionfund for the latest updates and consider donating to their cause.

Read more on reproductive rights and care: 
Roe: States Rights, Enter Stage Left
Visible Panty Liners: The Utah Period Project