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Dear friends and supporters,

It has been a tough year for the New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF). The nationwide economic downturn and upsurge in unemployed and uninsured Americans have lead to a rise in demand for our services. More and more we are getting calls not just from clinics, but directly from women asking for help to pay for an abortion.

This increase in the numbers and types of requests we receive means we are reaching a wider population of women and families than ever before. It also requires more time and effort. Our all-volunteer board is stretched thin responding to requests for funding, referring women to clinics that can serve them and negotiating with those clinics to provide the most timely and affordable services possible.

The women NYAAF serves are ones who might otherwise slip through the cracks, including those who make just a little too much to qualify for public assistance, who do not qualify due to immigration status, who live in states that do not help cover the cost of abortion, or who face emergency situations that do not leave them enough time to apply for government help.

The emergencies, of course, are the most expensive. Last month, we helped a fifteen-year-old rape victim pay for a procedure that required hospital treatment. Arranging for her care took more than ten phone calls, countless emails and hours of negotiation. We contacted every known source of abortion funding for which this young woman qualified and every time heard the same message: we are out of money, please call back later. In the end, the doctor involved in the case waived the usual fee and NYAAF agreed to pay the remaining hospital costs: $4000. We were able to make that pledge and save that young woman?s life because we had the funds on hand and a mechanism in place to get them quickly to where they needed to go. But that pledge nearly drained our remaining 2009 budget, and in order to meet the demand for our assistance in 2010, we need your help.

Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to NYAAF to help us face the challenges of the coming year. The obstacles are only increasing: We lost a hero this year, Dr. George Tiller, whose murder in August has left us with few places to turn when a woman comes to us in need of a later-term procedure. On top of this, the ongoing healthcare debate in Congress may carry with it new restrictions on abortion funding, thus increasing the need for our fund. NYAAF is an all-volunteer organization, which means that 100% of your tax-deductible contribution goes directly to women in need. Even small amounts can make a huge difference in the lives of the women we help. Give online now at www.nyaaf.org or send a check to:

New York Abortion Access Fund
FDR Station, Box 7569
New York, NY 10150

Thank you for helping to ensure access to abortion services for all women!

Sincerely,

Lauren Alexander
On behalf of the New York Abortion Access Fund