Call for Board Members: Deadline extended to December 21, 2018!!

Posted on November 17, 2018 by NYAAF

In early 2019, we are looking forward to bringing on a new Treasurer, Volunteer Manager, Communications Manager, and Upstate Co-Manager. Full descriptions of each of these roles and a link to the application are available here.

Joining the NYAAF Board of Directors is a fantastic opportunity to galvanize your commitment to reproductive justice, build and flex valuable skills, and expand your professional and personal networks. The NYAAF Board prides itself on sustaining a culture of inclusion, compassion, respect, and shared decision-making. We also strive to center the perspectives and priorities of those most impacted by restrictions to abortion access. No prior board experience or minimum financial contribution is required.

Please share this notice widely across your networks! We especially encourage members of our NYAAF family – case managers, volunteers, and supporters – to consider applying!

Here is what we’re looking for in a board member:

We seek vision and leadership (and leadership potential!).
We seek diversity in identity, perspective, and experience, including diversity in ethnicity, race, age, economic status, educational experience, status as a parent, ability, sexuality, gender identity, national origin, religious perspective, professional and career experience, and experience in accessing healthcare.
We strongly encourage women of color, trans and gender nonconforming people, and those who have experienced difficulty accessing necessary healthcare to apply.
We strongly encourage people who have had an abortion or have experience with abortion services to apply.
Board members are asked to serve for at least two years. When considering applying, please keep this time commitment in mind.

Applications are due December 21st!

Please direct any questions to kaitlyn@nyaaf.org To receive a response, inquiries must have “Inquiry: Call for Board Members” in the subject line.

Call for NYAAF Board of Directors

Posted on May 1, 2018 by NYAAF

***UPDATED APPLICATION DEADLINE: JUNE 15TH***

Call for NYAAF Board of Directors: Fundraising Events Manager and Development Manager

Exciting news! The New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF) seeks two new Members for its Board of Directors. NYAAF’s Board Members are all volunteers operating together as a collective. The Board is responsible for all areas of NYAAF’s development, operations, and compliance.

ABOUT NYAAF

NYAAF believes every individual should be able to determine their own reproductive destiny and have access to the resources, rights, and the respect to be able to do so. NYAAF’s mission is rooted in this belief: We support anyone who is unable to pay fully for an abortion and is living in or traveling to New York State by providing financial assistance and connections to other resources. NYAAF strives to conduct our work as part of the greater reproductive justice movement ensuring the full rights of all people, especially those who have traditionally struggled to access reproductive healthcare, including low-income people, people of color, immigrants, and LGBT and gender nonconforming people.

The Board’s operations primarily consist of working directly with callers to pledge funds toward the cost of their abortion, fundraising, and managing our growing organization’s development.

BOARD MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS

Generally, we seek Board Members who can contribute to our Board with skills, passion, and dedication to NYAAF’s mission. Consider addressing any of the following as you shape your application:

We seek vision and leadership (and leadership potential!).
We seek diversity in identity, perspective, and experience, including diversity in ethnicity, race, age, economic status, educational experience, status as a parent, ability, sexuality, gender identity, national origin, religious perspective, professional and career experience, and experience in accessing healthcare.
We strongly encourage women of color, trans and gender nonconforming people, and those who have experienced difficulty accessing necessary healthcare to apply.
We strongly encourage people who have had an abortion or have experience with abortion services to apply.
A two-year commitment to serving as a Board Member is encouraged.

OPEN POSITIONS

We seek to build our fundraising and intake teams and fill the following positions:

Fundraising Events Manager:

Responsibilities for this position include:

Set up online donation pages for fundraising events
Lead the coordination of fundraising events such as Bowl-a-Thon and NYAAF’s annual fundraising gala to establish and cultivate donor relationships, with the support of a planning committee, board members, and volunteers
Generate ideas for new major donor or institutional events
Organize volunteer-hosted fundraising events, including the development and implementation of home-hosting kits for individuals interested in hosting a NYAAF fundraiser
Plan out a calendar of yearly fundraising events in conjunction with the fundraising team (including the Fundraising Committee)
Coordinate external fundraising events

Intake Co-Manager:

Responsibilities for this position include:

Work with Intake Co-Manager to ensure that Intake lines are staffed with four volunteers weekly and and the Board of Directors is equipped with the knowledge needed to make informed approvals for over-budget requests on the hotline
Lead Intake Committee (comprised of board members and experienced case managers) to collaboratively move projects forward that support our work on the hotline and maintain a pipeline of informed and engaged volunteer case managers
Coordinate 1-2 annual case manager appreciation events
Maintain and update intake guidelines and policies
Update Salesforce clinic records and other funding resources used by case managers and our Intake Support team
Coordinate with Intake Co-Manager on 2-3 case manager trainings per year, and organize supplemental case manager continuing education events
Serve as point-person for case manager-board communications

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please fill out our application and upload your resume via Google Forms.

We will be in touch with strong applicants for a casual interview and to discuss what serving on the Board might look like for you. We view this as a two-way process. Not only do we hope to find applicants who contribute to our needs, values, and mission, but we hope to be a good fit for your goals as a member of our Board of Directors.

We will be accepting applications through June 15th! To ensure time for careful review of all applications, please expect to hear from us with a final decision by July 15, 2018.

QUESTIONS?

Please direct any questions to elena@nyaaf.org. To receive a response, inquiries must have “Inquiry: Call for Board Members” in the subject line.

It’s The 9 Annual NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon!

Posted on March 28, 2018 by NYAAF

We enthusiastically invite you to join us in our biggest, most fun, and most fabulous annual events: ?The Bowl-a-Thon!?

For eight years, NYAAF supporters like you have gotten together to form teams, raise money, and bowl like the amazing champions of abortion access they are. In 2017, over 500 NYAAF supporters helped us smash national records by raising over $250,000 for abortion access.

This year, in addition to our Bowl-a-Thon events in New York City and Buffalo, we’ll be expanding our festivities to Albany and Rochester to welcome even more of our upstate supporters into the fun! We’ve raised our 2018 fundraising goal to $300,000, and we want YOU to help us reach it!

State and federal governments continue to propose new restrictions on abortion access; the Bowl-a-Thon is a way to build and celebrate our collective power to fight those restrictions and continue to support the hundreds of individuals who call NYAAF each year.

So invite your friends, colleagues, and families to join you for music, food, prizes, community-building, and of course, some top-notch bowling! NYAAF will support bowlers with fundraising tips and tools leading up to the event. What are you waiting for? Register today!

?New York City
Sunday, April 22 from 11:00am – 4:00pm
Bowlmor Lanes
Register here!

?Buffalo
Saturday, April 28th at 2pm
Delmar Lanes
Register here!

?Albany
Sunday, April 29th, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Classic Lanes
Register here!

?Rochester
Thursday, April 26th from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Classic Lanes
Register here!

You’ve Got Bowl-A-Thon Questions, We’ve Got Answers!

Posted on March 22, 2018 by NYAAF

The NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon is back, and this year it’s bigger and better than ever before. This year we’re offering two time slots in New York City and events in Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester, so we have even more opportunities for bowlers to raise funds to protect abortion access!

The Bowl-a-Thon allows NYAAF to continue our critical work. As our main annual fundraising event, the Bowl-a-Thon keeps NYAAF’s services available to those who need it most. This year, we’re aiming to raise a record-breaking $300,000, and we need your help!

Check out our event sites for New York City, Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester and sign up to show off your bowling skills! Or you can support a great cause by pledging toward an existing team or bowler!

We’ve compiled this handy list of Frequently Asked Questions, but reach out to us anytime at bowlathon@nyaaf.org if we can help in any way to get you and your teams set up to be the best and happiest NYAAF bowlers and fundraisers ever!

When and where are the Bowl-a-Thons?

New York City: Bowlmor Lanes on Sunday, April 22 from 11:00am – 4:00pm in Manhattan.
Albany: Del Lanes in Delmar on Saturday, April 29th at 2pm
Buffalo: Classic Lanes on Sunday, April 28th, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm.
Rochester: L&M Lanes on Thursday, April 26th from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.

So… why exactly are we bowling for abortion access?

Every April, abortion funds across the country that are part of the National Network of Abortion Funds hold Bowl-a-Thons — this year marks NYAAF’s 8th Bowl-a-Thon! These events allow us to have fun connecting with our reproductive justice community while raising funds so we can continue to serve our clients in need. Now more than ever it is crucial that we come together, support each other, and fight to ensure that abortion access remains a reality for all individuals. Bowl; fund abortion; build power. It’s that simple.

I’m sold! How do I sign up?

We have individual event pages for each of our four locations. Please make sure you’re registering for the correct event!

Once you sign up, you can personalize your individual fundraising page — we encourage lots of GIFs! You can also start a team, or join one that your friends have already started!

Is there a fee to sign up?

There is a registration fee ($20 in NYC; $15 in Buffalo and Rochester; $10 in Albany) that you can pay as a donation to your own fundraising page after signing up online. However, we encourage bowlers to donate more if they are able! As a volunteer-run grassroots organization, NYAAF ensures that donations are maximized to help cover the costs of abortion care for those who reach out to us for assistance. If you haven’t raised enough to cover the cost of your registration by the day of the event, we will ask you to pay the registration fee at event check-in.

Is there a deadline for registration?

We ask that all teams and individuals register one week before the event, which means

by Sunday, April 15 for NYC;
Thursday, April 19 for Rochester;
Saturday, April 22 for Buffalo;
and Sunday, April 23 for Albany.

If you have extra folks you’d like to add the week before the event, please email bowlathon@nyaaf.org. We will do our best to make sure we accommodate everyone who wants to join us!

There are two time slots this year for the NYC event! When are they, and when will NYAAF let bowlers know their designated bowling time?

Teams bowling in NYC assigned to the first time slot will be able to bowl between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; those assigned to the second slot can bowl between 1:30 and 3:30 PM. We’ll let teams know by Tuesday, April 17 which time slot they can bowl. But you can also come and hang out during the entire event, even if it’s not your bowling time! If you or your team has a strong preference about your time slot, please let us know by emailing us at bowlathon@nyaaf.org with your team name and preference, and we will do our best to honor your request!

How do I update/personalize my page?

While logged into the fundraising site, select the “Manage” button on the top left of the screen on your individual fundraising page. Select the “Story” tab. You can edit the text, or add new text images in the page field. For more details, visit the Classy Help page on this topic.

How do I join a team or add people to my team?

On the team’s page, have the person who wants to join select the “Join” button underneath the team’s image on the left hand side. Or select “Become a Fundraiser” on the event home page, then “Join a Team” and search for the team name. The system will walk you through a step-by-step process to set up a new individual fundraising page as part of this team. Please note that even team captains must join their own team after creating the team page.

How do I thank my donors?

Select the “Manage” button on the top left of the screen on your page when you’re logged into the fundraising site. Select the “Donations” tab. You’ll see a list of all donations to your page, and a button that says “Thank” next to each. This allows you to write a comment in response to their donation that will be sent to them, and will show up on your page. All donors who choose to be non-anonymous also get an automated “Thank You” email when their donation is processed. However, we recommend you also thank people personally, via email, social media, letter, or with a big hug!

What happens if my friends on other teams bowling in NYC were assigned to the other time slot?

We’ve reserved the entire main area at our NYC venue, so registered non-bowlers and those arriving before/after their team’s designated bowling time can feel free to hang out and enjoy good times, snacks, and abortion funding community building throughout the event!

How many people can be on a bowling team?

In NYC, each bowling lane can accommodate 8 people, so we encourage teams to not have more than 8 people per lane who plan to bowl, if they want their score recorded. If you happen to have an extra large team (preferably closer to 12-16 people), we can assign your team two adjacent lanes so you can keep your team spirit extra strong and concentrated!

In Albany, Buffalo,and Rochester each bowling lane holds 4-6 people, but we’ll assign lanes in a way that keeps larger teams together!

What happens if I’m a bad bowler?

We embrace ALL our bowlers, regardless of bowling skill! Neither your fundraising nor your importance in building power through abortion funding is connected to your bowling score. Bring on all the gutter balls you’ve got — we’ll still be cheering you on!

I have someone who wants to donate to me but through cash or a check, instead of online. How do I add this to my fundraising totals?

Checks can be made out to “New York Abortion Access Fund” and sent to:

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

*A FEW NOTES ON CHECKS: Please do not write checks to “NYAAF”. The bank will unfortunately not accept them. Please write in the memo line “BAT,” along with the name of the bowler to whom the gift should be attributed. When we receive checks from your supporters, we’ll add them to your online fundraising page so they contribute toward your goal.

If you have collected cash donations, please bring them with you to the event and we can collect it and add it to your totals onsite. You can also email Sara at sarall@nyaaf.org with questions about offline gifts, or to let us know that we should look for a check in the mail.

I can’t attend the Bowl-a-Thon event, but still want to fundraise for NYAAF! Can I still participate?

YES PLEASE! We’d love those who want to support NYAAF and its mission to create their own fundraising page, even if you can’t join us in person! Whether you live somewhere without a bowling event, or your dance card is full when your local event is taking place, we welcome people ANYWHERE to bowl with us virtually! Creating a fundraising page through our Bowl-a-Thon website will make it easy for you to ask for donations (think: example language and automated emails you can send to your networks), and for your supporters to donate securely online!

Does my fundraising money go to different places based on which New York Bowl-a-Thon event I attend?

Nope! All funds raised through these four NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon events come to the New York Abortion Access Fund and are used to help our clients throughout the state, as well as clients that NYAAF supports coming from or traveling to other states. After the event, a portion of what we collectively raise will also go to the National Network of Abortion Funds, which supports and develops abortion funds across the country.

YES PLEASE! Send us an email at bowlathon@nyaaf.org and let us know the names of team members who will not be bowling with you. This will help us better allocate our lanes and make the registration process faster for all our bowlers. We’ll also reach out to team captains to confirm this information closer to the event.

How will single bowlers be assigned to teams? What is the process for bowlers without a team to sign up?

All you have to do to start is register as an individual and we’ll match you up with other folks to bowl with at the event! We often have teams that notify us they have space for extra individuals, so feel free to email us at bowlathon@nyaaf.org if you’d like to get linked up with them in advance!

Will there be bathroom access for gender non-conforming and trans folks?

At the NYC event, there are two gender-neutral bathrooms available for use.

How is NYAAF addressing any potential threats to security on the Bowl-a-Thon fundraising site?

The National Network of Abortion Funds, who hosts the Classy website we’re using for registration and fundraising, specifically chose this vendor with a mind to creating a supremely secure online fundraising process. All online registrations and transactions will continue to be monitored, even following the event.

Still, if you see or receive any strange or suspicious messages that seem to be related to the Bowl-a-Thon, please email us at bowlathon@nyaaf.org and we’ll look into it as soon as possible.

How is NYAAF addressing any potential threats to security at the event?

We work with venue staff to ensure the safety of our supporters, and we have never had a security issue at a NYAAF event. We will have volunteers trained in safety and de-escalation at each of our Bowl-a-Thons.

Why does my receipt say National Network of Abortion Funds?

NYAAF is a member of the National Network of Abortion Funds, which hosts the Bowl-a-Thon website as a way to support fundraising infrastructure for all member abortion funds. They accept the donations on our behalf and then send us a check; a great benefit for an all-volunteer organization like NYAAF. If you make your donation through the Bowl-a-Thon website, this is why you may see their name and tax ID number.

Please share these FAQs with your teammates, friends, and anyone interested in the Bowl-a-Thon. And as always, reach out to us at bowlathon@nyaaf.org if you have any questions or suggestions for how to make this event an even bigger success!

Look out for more helpful emails from us, and keep spreading the word about NYAAF and #bowl18!

Thankful for your support this season!

Posted on December 21, 2017 by NYAAF

Here at the New York Abortion Access Fund, this holiday season is full of gratitude. We’re so thankful for your support, which has allowed us to serve more people and pledge more funds in 2017 than ever before. We could not have achieved this without you!

We have raised $34,024 to our year-end goal of $75,000 — can you help us reach it by Sunday December 31?

For many people, the holidays are a time of increased financial hardship, which can make abortion particularly difficult to access. This holiday season, you can help ensure that people don’t have to choose between paying their rent and getting medical care. Your gift to NYAAF means that our callers don’t have to.

Now, more than ever, your support serves as an important statement. With your donation to NYAAF, you are affirming that abortion should be accessible to all, and that reproductive freedom is a fundamental right.

Please make a year-end gift today. Multiply your impact by talking to family and friends about abortion this holiday season and encouraging them to make a gift, too.

Wishing you Happy Holidays!
With love and gratitude, The NYAAF Board of Directors

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE

Send a check payable to the New York Abortion Access Fund to FDR Station, Box 7569, New York, NY 10150.

At no cost to you, choose NYAAF as your charitable organization of choice on Amazon Smile

NYAAF stands with DREAMers

Posted on September 8, 2017 by NYAAF

We are outraged and disheartened by the Trump Administration’s announcement to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). This decision is a continuation of the Administration’s harmful immigration agenda that is poised to have disastrous consequences for hundreds of thousands of families. To those in our communities directly impacted by this announcement, know that NYAAF proudly and firmly stands with you and the 800,000 DREAMers.

A person’s worth is not measured by their immigration status or the country in which they were born. We hold steadfast to our conviction that each of us has the right to an education, a living wage, health care, and the right to make our own reproductive health decisions. We all deserve the opportunity to thrive in our lives without fear. In these uncertain and dangerous times, NYAAFcontinues our commitment to ensuring ALL individuals have the rights and resources to access the safe abortion care they need. As always, we continue to welcome and serve clients regardless of immigration status, and respect our clients’ privacy and autonomy by not requiring that they disclose it.

No human being is illegal. DREAMers and all immigrants living in this country are our fellow Americans, regardless of the documentation they hold. NYAAF will continue to organize, mobilize, and fight for justice for all. We hope you join us in the streets as we protest, and in our communities as we build collective power to defend DACA, DREAMers, and undocumented immigrants. Please visit weareheretostay.org for resources and opportunities to take action.

You broke records again! Thank you bowlers and supporters!

Posted on April 28, 2017 by NYAAF

The New York Abortion Access Fund has set a new organizational and national record for the most successful Bowl-a-Thon ever. With more than 500 bowlers and more than $250,000 raised, you can count on even more education, advocacy, and abortions funded in New York in the year to come.

We’d like to sincerely thank all our bowlers for going the extra mile in their Bowl-a-Thon fundraising — we hope you had as great of a time as we did celebrating your success on Sunday! Special thanks to and Barbara Kass and Knock Down the Pinheads, who earned the top bowler and top fundraising team spotlights. Extra shout-outs to Bodega Plan B and The Ovary Actors for bringing incredible spirit to the event with their team flair! Finally, we want to acknowledge the small army of incredible volunteers who made the event possible.

The Bowl-a-Thon is not just our biggest fundraiser of the year, but also a time to build and enjoy our activist community. This year’s success is a powerful statement about the support for abortion access that exists in New York, and the commitment we share to stand up against harmful restrictions on access with compassion and action.

We’re thrilled to have expanded our presence in Western New York, where we’ll be hosting the first ever NYAAF Buffalo Bowl-a-Thon this Saturday. As politicians roll back abortion access across the country, it’s vital that NYAAF is able support those who travel to all parts of New York for the care they need. It’s not too late to join the Buffalo event, or support the team or fundraiser of your choice!

We’re so thankful to have you with us on this journey, and can’t wait to see you again!

In gratitude and solidarity,

The NYAAF Board of Directors

Bowl-a-Thon FAQs!

Posted on April 2, 2017 by NYAAF

NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon

Frequently Asked Questions

Hello beautiful bowlers and prospective bowlers! The NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon is back, and this year it’s bigger and better than ever before. This year we’re offering two time slots in New York City and our first-ever event in Buffalo, so we have even more opportunities for bowlers to raise funds to protect abortion access!

Check out our event sites for New York City and Buffalo if you want to sign up and show off your own bowling skills, or if you’d like to support a great cause by pledging toward an existing team or bowler!

When and where are the Bowl-a-Thons?
The New York City Bowl-a-Thon will take place on Sunday, April 23 from 11:00am – 4:00pm at Bowlmor Chelsea Piers.

The Buffalo Bowl-a-Thon will take place on Saturday, April 29th, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm. Once you register, we’ll send you location details.

So… why exactly are we bowling for abortion access?
Every April, abortion funds across the country that are part of the National Network of Abortion Funds hold Bowl-a-Thons — this year marks NYAAF’s 8th Bowl-a-Thon! These events allow us to have fun connecting with our reproductive justice community while raising funds so we can continue to serve our clients in need. Now more than ever it is crucial that we come together, support each other, and fight to ensure that abortion access remains a reality for all individuals. Bowl; fund abortion; build power. It’s that simple.

I’m sold! How do I sign up?
You can sign up for the NYC event at www.bowl.nnaf.org/nyaaf or the Buffalo event at www.bowl.nnaf.org/nyaafbuffalo. Once you sign up, you can personalize your individual fundraising page — we encourage lots of GIFs! You can also start a team, or join an existing one.

Is there a fee to sign up?
There is a registration fee ($20 in NYC; $15 in Buffalo) that you can pay as a donation to your own fundraising page after signing up online. However, we encourage bowlers to donate more if they are able! As a volunteer-run grassroots organization, NYAAF ensures that donations are maximized to help cover the costs of abortion care for those who reach out to us for assistance.

Is there a deadline for registration?
We ask that all teams and individuals register by Sunday, April 16 for NYC and by Saturday, April 22 for Buffalo — one week before the event.

There are two time slots this year for the NYC event! When are they, and when will NYAAF let bowlers know their designated bowling time?
Teams bowling in NYC assigned to the first time slot will be able to bowl between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM; those assigned to the second slot can bowl between 1:30 and 3:30 PM. When team captains first register their team, they can indicate which time slot they prefer, and we’ll do our best to accommodate that preference! We’ll let teams know by Monday, April 17 which time slot they can bowl. But you can also come and hang out during the entire event, even if it’s not your bowling time!

How do I update/personalize my page?
While logged into the fundraising site, select the “Manage” button on the top left of the screen on your individual fundraising page. Select the “Story” tab. You can edit the text, or add new text images in the page field. For more details, visit the Classy Help page on this topic.

How do I join a team or add people to my team?
On the team’s page, have the person who wants to join select the “Join” button underneath the team’s image on the left hand side. Or select “Become a Fundraiser” on the event home page, then “Join a Team” and search for the team name. The system will walk you through a step-by-step process to set up a new individual fundraising page as part of this team. Note that this year, unlike in the past, even team captains must join their own team after creating the team page.

How do I thank my donors?
Select the “Manage” button on the top left of the screen on your page when you’re logged into the fundraising site. Select the “Donations” tab. You’ll see a list of all donations to your page, and a button that says “Thank” next to each. This allows you to write a comment in response to their donation that will be sent to them, and will show up on your page. All donors who choose to be non-anonymous also get an automated “Thank You” email when their donation is processed. However, we recommend you also thank people personally, via email, social media, letter, or with a big hug!

What happens if my friends on other teams bowling in NYC were assigned to the other time slot?
We’ve reserved the entire main area at Bowlmor Chelsea Piers, so registered non-bowlers and those arriving before/after their team’s designated bowling time can feel free to hang out and enjoy good times and abortion funding community building throughout the event!

How many people can be on a bowling team?
In NYC, each bowling lane can accommodate 8 people, so we encourage teams to not have more than 8 people per lane who plan to bowl, if they want their score recorded. If you happen to have an extra large team (preferably closer to 12-16 people), we can assign your team two adjacent lanes so you can keep your team spirit extra strong and concentrated!

In Buffalo, each bowling lane holds 4 people, but we’ll assign lanes in a way that keeps larger teams together!

What happens if I’m a bad bowler?
We embrace ALL our bowlers, regardless of bowling skill! Neither your fundraising nor your importance in building power through abortion funding is connected to your bowling score. Bring on all the gutter balls you’ve got — we’ll still be cheering you on!

I have someone who wants to donate to me but through cash or a check, instead of online. How do I add this to my fundraising totals?
Checks can be made out to “New York Abortion Access Fund” and sent to:

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

*Please do not write checks to “NYAAF”. The bank will not accept them.

Please write in the memo line “BAT,” along with the name of the bowler to whom the gift should be attributed. When we receive checks from your supporters, we’ll add them to your online fundraising page so they contribute toward your goal.

If you have cash, please bring it with you to the event and we can collect it and add it to your totals onsite. You can also email Sara at sarall@nyaaf.org with questions about offline gifts, or to let us know that we should look for a check in the mail.

I can’t attend the Bowl-a-Thon event, but still want to fundraise for NYAAF! Can I still participate?
YES PLEASE! We’d love those who want to support NYAAF and its mission to create their own fundraising page, even if you can’t join us in person! Whether you live somewhere without a bowling event, or your dance card is full on April 23rd, we welcome people ANYWHERE to bowl with us virtually! Creating a fundraising page through our Bowl-a-Thon website will make it easy for you to ask for donations (think: example language and automated emails you can send to your networks), and for your supporters to donate securely online!

Some of our registered team members can’t make it to the Bowl-a-Thon, or are coming but don’t plan to bowl. Should we let NYAAF know how many of our team members are actually attending and bowling?
YES PLEASE! Send us an email at bowlathon@nyaaf.org and let us know the names of team members who will not be bowling with you. This will help us better allocate our lanes and make the registration process faster for all our bowlers. We’ll also reach out to team captains to confirm this information closer to the event.

How will single bowlers be assigned to teams? What is the process for bowlers without a team to sign up?
All you have to do to start is register as an individual and we’ll match you up with other folks to bowl with at the event! We also have some teams that have notified us they have space for individuals, so feel free to email us if you’d like to get linked up with them in advance!

Will there be bathroom access for gender non-conforming and trans folks?
At the NYC event at Bowlmor Chelsea Piers, there are two gender-neutral bathrooms available for use.

Check back here soon for information on the Buffalo event.

How is NYAAF addressing any potential threats to security on the Bowl-a-Thon fundraising site?
The National Network of Abortion Funds, who hosts the Classy website we’re using for registration and fundraising, specifically chose this vendor with a mind to creating a supremely secure online fundraising process. All online registrations and transactions will continue to be monitored, even following the event.

Still, if you see or receive any strange or suspicious messages that seem to be related to the Bowl-a-Thon, please email us at bowlathon@nyaaf.org and we’ll look into it as soon as possible.

Look out for more helpful emails from us, and keep spreading the word about NYAAF and #bowl17!

It’s Bowl-a-Thon Season!

Posted on March 22, 2017 by NYAAF

It’s time to make history. When we look back at 2017, let’s make sure it was a year when we all persisted, resisted… and bowled!

Join us for NYAAF’s 8th Annual Bowl-a-Thon!
Sunday, April 23, 2017
11 AM – 4 PM
Bowlmor Chelsea Piers (Pier 60)
New York, NY

This April, be a part of the movement for reproductive justice, as abortion funds all over the country host bowling extravaganzas to raise money to ensure abortion access for all who need it.

Right now, the fight for safe and equitable abortion access is more important than ever, so we’re not just going to break records this year, we’re going to SHATTER them.

But we can’t do it without you. Get your friends, families, colleagues, classmates, or community groups together, form a team, and register to bowl with us! Got some extra team spirit? Register as a team captain! No team? No problem! Sign up as an individual and we’ll match you up with other awesome bowlers. Once you register, we’ll share lots of tools to help you meet your fundraising goals!

REGISTER HERE!

We can’t wait to get out there with you and strike down barriers to abortion access!Last year NYAAF’s Bowl-a-Thon was a HUGE success! This year, we’ve made some changes to make this the biggest and BEST Bowl-a-Thon yet, like having morning and afternoon time slots to accommodate even more spirited bowlers. We’ll be posting more details on the registration site, our website, and the Facebook event page, so check back often.

In Solidarity,

Sara, Lanai, Kaitlyn, Caitlin, Brittany, Anisha and the rest of the 2017 NYAAF Bowl-a-thon Planning Committee

Tye’s Story — a Client’s Experience with NYAAF

Posted on December 29, 2016 by NYAAF

Grassroots donors like you are at the very core of abortion funding — as are our clients. So, as we close out 2016, we want to tell you about Tye, one of the hundreds of clients we worked with this year, who generously shared her story with us. Tye’s words underscore how important our supporters are, and how much of a difference your contributions make in the lives of each of our clients. As you read about her experience, please consider making that difference today with a donation to NYAAF.

Tye’s experience with NYAAF:

I’m originally from New York, and I currently reside in Georgia. As a 40-year-old proud mother of three going through a divorce, when I missed my period, the furthest thing from my mind was pregnancy. I’d been with my husband for seven years, and nothing had happened outside of our daughter. Since I was turning 40, I honestly thought I was going through menopause. I’d never been 40 before, so there’s no blueprint!

I’d started working out and doing 5 miles a day, joined a boot camp, and could see my body slimming down, except this one area, which I could never get right. Overall, I was still trying to mentally grab my hands around the fact that what used to be my life was no longer my life.

But I laid down here one day and I just felt something. I thought it was gas. And at that point, the light bulb went on. I guess I was in denial for quite a bit, and I’m just saying to myself, “No this can’t be, there’s just no way. Scientifically, it doesn’t make sense.” So I decided to go to the doctor. Sure enough, the furthest thing from my head, was it: I was pregnant.

A lot of things were going through my mind, of course. In the situation I was in, there was just no way. No time is ever the right time, but this time was really the wrong time. Still, I wasn’t exactly worried. I knew I was paying for top-of-the-line insurance. Coming from New York, I know that women are allowed to have a termination up to 24 weeks. I just assumed that was what it was throughout the country. Perhaps that was rather ignorant, but that’s just what I thought.

I called Kaiser, my health insurance, to get the authorization for me to go to the nearest facility. Everything was going as planned, until they did the sonogram. It turns out I was past the state limitation in Georgia. Immediately I was very sick. They gave me a list: Maryland, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, or something like that. All places I’ve never been. I was 21 weeks, not what I was expecting at all. If anything, I was counting back from maybe 3 or 4 weeks.

So again, yes, I’m thinking of all kinds of things. It’s a very emotional thing. This is very traumatizing for a person because you’re beating yourself up, “What did I do?” You’re literally googling things on how to miscarry on your own—you’re just thinking of ways of how you can correct this. I have no family here, and there’s no way I’m going to go to New Mexico or Colorado or any of these places; where would I be going?

So I said, “OK, I’m going to go New York. I work every day, I have insurance, I should be ok. I have this money that comes out of my salary so that I’m well taken care of when I need it the most.” I called the insurance company and they said I do not have coverage outside of Georgia. But Georgia regulations say I can’t do it in Georgia. Considering the state regulations, you would think that if I needed to go to another state it would still be covered, but no, that wasn’t the case, no was no. There was no compromise, there was no human interpretation.

Then the New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF) was recommended to me. I was going to fly to New York from Georgia, on the next flight. When I was going to New York, the price I was given was just for 21 weeks. Each additional day was an additional charge. I was given a price of $3000, of which I was going to cover $800, and I was approved with NYAAF for the balance.

So I went to the facility, and I was told it went from $3000 to about $6000—I think it doubled. I got sick again, because this was it, I had no other resources. When I had gotten the first approval, I immediately started crying tears of joy because I did not have any other options. So when I found out this was doubled, I just knew there was no way I could cover this excess amount.

I spoke to my case manager, Ryan, again, and he said he’d talk to NYAAF’s Board of Directors to see what could happen. So I basically left the facility not knowing what was going to happen. At that point, I had my mind set, like I guess this is it; I’m going to have to tell my family what’s going on and this is what it’s going to be. I was basically forced to have this child.

Ryan called me in the middle of the night, and told me he got the new approval. I started crying again. I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t believe it. This organization I knew nothing about actually saved my life.

There was no lengthy process, no paperwork that needed to be filled out. I guess I just couldn’t believe that it existed. And to be quite honest, I’m still in awe. I’m never ever going to forget this. I am definitely indebted for life to NYAAF, so I needed to share my story.

I don’t think many people understand how traumatizing the whole experience can be. They say, “How could you not know you were pregnant?” There are some cases where you really just don’t know, innocently, because there’s no way I could put myself through all that I went through, when I could have resolved everything sooner, without having to pay for airfare and hotel lodging, and everything else that it took for me to make this happen.

To me, it was a life or death scenario, that’s how serious it was. So when Ryan called and told me that I got the approval, I broke down and cried on the phone, because it was a life or death situation.

I worked with [NYAAF Volunteer Case Managers] Rachel and Ryan, and they were both sensitive to my needs and heartfelt. They worked quickly, and were very attentive. I was left thinking, “This person is actually going to try to help.” And again, I had no other place to turn—all of my trust was basically on this other person who was on the other end of the phone who I knew nothing about. It just saddens me that more women do not know that NYAAF exists. Not to take advantage of it, but just to know that there are organizations out there to really help you when there is no one else—when you feel like you’re forced to have a baby because of insurance and state regulations.

My life depended on whatever NYAAF could do for me. And that’s how I felt. And they came through.

Words just don’t express the amount of gratitude that I have for the donors that actually take the time out to think about others and donate to the organization. There are people that are very grateful. I’m one of them. Wholeheartedly grateful. Thank you. Thank you very much is all I can say. If I could do more, I would, because they need to know that they do save people’s lives. I don’t know how many people are grateful for what you all do collectively, but the statement that you’ve made in my life is definitely profound; it’s unforgettable. Unforgettable. That’s really my story.

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