Author Archives: NYAAF

We made history for abortion access!

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Yesterday was a historic day for abortion access! New York will become the first city in the country to directly fund abortion by allocating $250,000 of the City’s 2020 budget to NYAAF. We are overjoyed!!

But, there’s still more work to be done. We are currently working with the New York City Council to understand the details of how and when these funds will be dispersed to NYAAF, and in the meantime… we know that the support we provide cannot wait. 

In the face of increasing attacks on abortion access throughout the country, New York City’s commitment to funding abortion sends a powerful message. We are proud to advance health equity and justice at this critical time. As it gets harder for people to access abortion in conservative states, NYC will likely see an increase in out-of-state folks seeking abortion. This city funding means NYAAF will be better-equipped to keep up with the increasing demand and to continue building a movement to lift barriers to abortion access here in New York and across the country.

For months, you supported our #FundAbortionNYC campaign by calling City Council members, signing petitions, and spreading the word. This campaign was a powerful reminder that our collective power can shift resources and culture, and create greater access to abortion care.

We are proud and grateful to have collaborated with the National Institute for Reproductive Health (NIRH) Action Fund, as well as partner organizations including WHARR, All* Above All, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health New York LAN, Reproductive Health Access Project, Abortion Access Front, the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum NYC Chapter, and the National Council of Jewish Women New York. We are especially grateful to members of our own Advocacy & Organizing Committee, made up of Board Members and volunteers, who tirelessly pushed this work forward.

This incredible victory will reverberate throughout the nation, and allow us to better advance our mission to lift barriers to abortion access for people living in our traveling to New York.We could not be more proud to celebrate this victory with our community!

Also we’re in the New York Times!

Abortion bans may become law. Act NOW to make a difference.

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As you may have heard or read, extreme abortion restrictions are rapidly moving through multiple state legislatures. On Wednesday, Alabama passed a law banning abortion without exception and imposing long criminal sentences on abortion providers. Similar bills have passed in Georgia, Mississippi, and Ohio, and Missouri could be next. While no full abortion bans have yet gone into effect, we know that this hostile climate is likely to create more barriers to abortion care in those states.

We are angry. But we find strength in the resilience of this movement, and what we can do when we stand together — and in this moment, we have an opportunity both to show solidarity with other states and to strengthen New York’s ability to remain a haven for safe and legal abortion for all who need it.  

NYAAF is proud to be a core member of the Fund Abortion NYC campaign, which is encouraging the New York City Council to include abortion funding in its 2020 budget. If the campaign is successful, the funds will go directly to NYAAF and will bolster our ability to serve clients living in or coming to New York for abortion care. This would make New York City the first city in the country to publicly fund abortion.

Help us keep abortion access a reality for all. Here’s how:

Thank you for standing with us and helping us make New York a powerful ally in the fight for reproductive justice for all.

The NYAAF Board of Directors

P.S. Another way to support the #FundAbortionNYC campaign is to tweet at City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (@NYCSpeakerCoJo) to urge him to publicly support the campaign to #FundAbortionNYC!

NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon 2019 Frequently Asked Questions

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It’s our favorite time of year! The NYAAF Bowl-a-Thon is back for 2019! This year we’re offering two time slots in New York City and events in, and Rochester, because abortion access is a necessity across the whole state!

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 looking to raise $150,000–and we need your help to get there!

Ready to join in? Sign up for an event in New York City and Rochester and lace up your bowling shoes! Or you can support this great cause by pledging toward an existing team or bowler!  

We’ve put together this list of Frequently Asked Questions, but if there’s anything you don’t see addressed, feel free to email us at  bowlathon@nyaaf.org–and 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, just let us know!

When and where are the Bowl-a-Thons?
Glad you asked!

  • New York City: Bowlmor Lanes on Sunday, April 28th from 11am to 4pm. There are morning time slots (11am – 1pm) and afternoon time slots (1:30pm – 3:30pm), so check with your team captain if you’re not sure about your assigned time.
  • Rochester: L & M Lanes in Rochester on Friday, April 26th from 6:30 pm to 10 pm.

 

So… what does bowling have to do with 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 10th 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. The Bowl-a-Thon is our largest yearly fundraiser and crucial to our ability to fund abortions. Now more than ever it is important 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!

Sign up here for New York City;
and
here for Rochester.

Once you sign up, you can personalize your individual fundraising page — we encourage punny names and 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 ($25 in NYC; $15 in Rochester) 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!

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 AM-1 PM and teams assigned to the second time slot will be able to bowl between 1:30PM-3:30 PM. All teams have been notified of the 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!

My friends are on other teams that got a different time slot–will I be able to see them?
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 have no 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?
That’s okay! 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.

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.

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?
Absolutely! 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.

I’m a single bowler without a team! What should I do?
No worries! 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?
There will! 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.

My receipt says National Network of Abortion Funds–what’s going on?
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 #bowl19!

 

It’s Bowl-a-Thon Season

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This year marks ten years (!!) of Bowl-A-Thon and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! We’re proud to have four great events taking place across the state this year; check them out here! If you haven’t yet put together your Bowl-A-Thon team or set up your fundraising page, now is the perfect time to do so.

We are planning a great bowler engagement event in the near future–keep your eyes out for information coming soon, because we’re excited to make this one of our best bowling seasons yet!

If you’re really fired up and ready to bowl, or want to do more to support abortion access this spring, we’d LOVE for you to join us as a volunteer! Volunteers help promote the event, support bowlers in their fundraising, outreach to local sponsors, and keep the final events running smoothly. If you’re interested in in joining us as a volunteer, please email bowlathon@nyaaf.org for more information on how to get involved.

Start your engines, invite your peeps, and get ready to bowl for abortion access! What are you waiting for?


In solidarity,
The NYAAF Board of Directors

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

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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

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***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!

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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!

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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!

Sign up here for New York City;
here for Albany;
here for Buffalo; and
here for Rochester .

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.

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 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!

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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

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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.