Program areas at Chelsea's Fund
Chelseas Fund provides funding assistance to enable access to abortion services. The large portion of our abortion funding covers clinic fees for direct abortion services. We make those payments directly to the clinic, having approved them ahead of time and paying after services are provided. In 2023, the number of people we assisted increased dramatically to 222. We support Wyoming & Idaho residents regardless of where they receive care. Additionally anyone receiving abortion care in Wyoming may be eligible for our assistance. In addition to funding clinic costs, we provide some funding for associated costs such as travel, hotel, child care as needed and appropriately documented.
Chelseas funds outreach to & engagement with our supporters and the public has been expanding. We worked with other organizations to better understand how wyomingites understand abortion care. We revised and updated our website. We tracked legislative bills, informing supporters about concerns. Chelseas Fund expanded its educational advertisements across media to further eliminate barriers to reproductive healthcare access.
Chelseas Fund continues to challenge and significantly Fund Wyoming abortion bans in court on the ground they are unconstitutional. In 2023, the legislature established 2 new bans, repealing the ban we had been litigating. Consequently, we filed a new complaint & succeeded in staying both bans pending litigation. Abortion remains legal in wy while we await further judicial orders. We retained expert witnesses, filed & argued summary judgment motions & successfully opposed, up to the wy supreme court, an attempt to intervene in the case by 2 legislators & Wyoming right to life.
CHELSEAS FUND HAD SERVED AS A FISCAL SPONSOR FOR CIRCLE OF HOPE HEALTH CARE SERVICES INC. CIRCLE OF HOPE HAS SINCE RECEIVED THEIR 501(c)3 CONFIRMATION AND CAN NOW ACCEPT DONATIONS. IN 2023, THERE WERE A FEW FINAL GRANTS TO CIRCLE OF HOPE.