Want to help open an abortion clinic?
An easy way to support a great cause (and get a great workout in while you're at it)
Hey pals!
If you’ve been here for a while (or know me IRL!) you know I’ve been running a project to raise money for abortion funds since July 2022: It’s called Pilates for Abortion Funds, and it’s a fun monthly all-levels Zoom mat Pilates class for which admission is proof of a donation of any amount to a local abortion fund or the National Network of Abortion Funds. (My March class will be on the 25th!)
This month, I’m psyched to share that I’m co-hosting a special event that will be raising money to support abortion access in Wisconsin, a state that currently has just three procedural abortion clinics. On March 18, we’ll be having a special Zoom Pilates fundraiser class to help open a fourth. What makes this clinic unique is that it will be the only non-profit independent abortion clinic in the entire state of Wisconsin. Despite abortion being legal again in Wisconsin (after a 15 month ban), many obstacles exist, such as the need to travel, time away from work and children, paying for a hotel, and paying for the procedure itself, since Medicaid is not allowed to cover abortions in Wisconsin.
Ali Kliegman, MPH, has been working for more than a year toward their goal of opening a new independent non-profit abortion clinic named Care for All in Milwaukee.
As Ali wrote recently: “Under a new administration people won't stop getting pregnant and they certainly won't stop wanting or needing abortions. It is more important than ever that this clinic is rooted and established in the coming months of uncertainty. We may have to pivot or adjust, but we plan to be open for everyone in the community who needs care and that is our focus right now.”
Care for All will team up with Pilates for Abortion Funds for a special one-hour fundraising event at 8p ET/7p CT on Tuesday, March 18, on Zoom. Anyone who donates at least $25 to Care for All and writes “Pilates” in their comment by Monday, March 17 will be invited to participate in this special evening Pilates class.
As a special way to close out the class, Wisconsin native, New York Times bestselling author, and Reiki practitioner (and my bestie!)
will lead us in a short meditation. (Andi is also the author of here on Substack which is an incredible resource for authors and aspiring authors.)This event is a special and fun way to show your support for abortion access in an area that desperately needs more of it. Please share this invitation with anyone who might be interested.
JUST TO REITERATE! To attend this class, you must donate $25 or more directly to Care for All at the link above and write “Pilates” in the comment field. This is a separate event from my usual monthly PFAF classes.
Let me know if you have any questions, and hope to see you there!
xo
Anna
About Care for All:
Care for All will be an independent nonprofit health center created to fill a critical gap in abortion care and wraparound services in Milwaukee. Our mission is to provide quality abortion care and other reproductive and sexual health services to people of all needs and backgrounds, regardless of ability to pay. Our vision is to expand access to sexual and reproductive health care for all in Milwaukee and southeast Wisconsin within a reproductive justice framework. Our target population has been historically and intentionally excluded from accessing quality, accessible, and equitable reproductive health care.
About Pilates for Abortion Funds:
Pilates for Abortion Funds is a small, independent fundraiser that launched in July 2022 as a way to turn post-Dobbs despair into action.
Since well before Roe v Wade was overturned, access to abortion has been difficult and expensive, making it out of reach for many people who desperately need this critical form of health care, particularly people in challenging financial situations, minoritized groups, and those who live in rural areas. Abortion funds have been operating for many years to help patients cover not only the procedure itself but transportation, lodging, childcare, and other related expenses. The events of summer 2022 made this need even greater and more urgent.
PFAF is a monthly, all-levels, body neutral mat Pilates class for which the cost of entry is proof of a donation of any amount to any local abortion fund or the National Network of Abortion Funds. Since July 2022, we have collectively raised more than $30,000 for abortion funds, and we're looking forward to seeing that number continue to grow.
About :
Andrea Bartz is a journalist and the New York Times-bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick We Were Never Here, The Spare Room, The Lost Night, The Herd, and the forthcoming The Last Ferry Out. A Level II Reiki practitioner, she grew up in the Milwaukee area and lives in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley with her girlfriend and pets.
I also probably won't be able to make the class, but I'm thrilled to make a donation to support abortion access in my home state!
I won’t be able to make this, but I love it and I’m sorry to miss a chance to virtually do a meditation with Andrea Bartz (your bestie! Very cool)