On 1-year anniversary of overturning of Roe v. Wade, local family organizes walk to ensure access to reproductive healthcare for all.
Inaugural Access Walk Seattle Sept. 24 will raise funds for regional clinic to offset costs for travel, accommodations and other expenses incurred by individuals forced to travel to access abortion services.
SEATTLE, WASH. (June 23, 2023) – As states continue to change laws in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling last year, one local family started a nonprofit to raise funds and awareness for regional clinics that provide access to safe abortion services. The inaugural Access Walk Seattle event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at Volunteer Park and will raise funds for clinics to help individuals offset travel costs associated with this much needed service.
“On this one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Dobbs case, which impacts access to reproductive healthcare services for individuals across the nation, our family is taking a step to ensure low-income individuals are supported in their right to access safe abortion services,” said Jeffrey Pyatt, co-founder of Access Walk. “Regardless of someone’s view of abortion, the reality is people from every walk of life access this reproductive health care service. Access Walk Seattle will give 100 percent of all proceeds to Cedar River Clinics to help them defray the cost for travel, accommodations, food and other expenses incurred by individuals seeking access to reproductive healthcare services.”
The first grantee of funds raised from Access Walk will be Cedar River Clinics, a Washington state nonprofit organization with clinics in Renton, Seattle, Tacoma and Yakima.
The details of Access Walk are as follows:
- When: Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023
- Time: Registration opens at 9 a.m. and walk begins at 11 a.m.
- Where: Volunteer Park, 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle
- To Register: Access Walk (onecause.com)
- To Donate or Sponsor: https://accesswalk.org/about-us/donate/
- To Volunteer: https://accesswalk.org/volunteer/
- Website: https://accesswalk.org
Pyatt said his wife and daughters, who are the inspiration for the creation of Access Walk, struck up a conversation over a dinner on the fallout of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Collectively, they made the decision to create an inclusive event – Access Walk – to raise awareness of the impact of the Dobbs ruling and how the patchwork of law changes will place burdens most heavily on low-income and underserved individuals.
About Access Walk
Started by the Pyatt family, who make their home in Washington state, Access Walk’s mission is to fund regional organizations that provide access to safe abortion. We know people from every community use abortion services, so we walk to ensure that those services remain available. The vision is to ensure that everyone seeking abortion services has safe and affordable access. The Pyatt family will underwrite 100% of the startup and event costs associated with the inaugural event. This will allow 100% of the funds raised by the event to be awarded to grantees to help their clients defray the costs associated with traveling to access safe abortion services. Funds will not be used to pay for the abortion service itself. Access Walk is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
About Cedar River Clinics
Since 1979, Cedar River Clinics has provided compassionate reproductive health care including first and second abortion, birth control, cancer screenings, STI testing and treatment, and LGBTQ wellness services including transgender/non-binary care. Cedar River Clinics is a Washington State nonprofit organization with clinics in Renton, Seattle, Tacoma and Yakima. Cedar River Clinics is a social justice organization that combines direct services with advocacy and community education.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Bobbi Cussins, Access Walk, 360-280-1679, media@accesswalk.org