Albuquerque’s Self Serve Organizes Drive to Provide Free Emergency Contraception

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Self Serve organized a September donation drive to help offer free emergency contraception in the Albuquerque area.

The New Mexico adult store, which has a focus on community health and education, has been committed to providing low-cost and free community-funded emergency contraception since the beginning of 2023.

In August, the store reported, the demand for emergency contraception began to surpass the available donations.

“This sparked a month-long donation drive in September in which customers received a 20% off coupon for every emergency contraception pill donation,” a rep said. “With the support of community members, Self Serve collected 120 emergency contraception pills in September, ensuring that this essential resource remains available to those who need it.”

Store Manager Stevie Wilke expressed their satisfaction with the community’s response, stating, “It’s frustrating how inaccessible this pill has been since its inception. The community members who need it the most usually face the most barriers to access it. I’m so proud to work at Self Serve and be a part of a community that is trying to help each other when in need. Our goal is to flip the script around emergency contraception. Because Plan-B has been so gate-kept many people don’t realize it has a shelf life just like any other over the counter pills in your medicine cabinet. You don’t have to wait until it’s an emergency to get it, you can have it on hand so when an emergency occurs you are already prepared.”

Owner Matie Fricker added, “Self Serve is an intentionally created space for all community members to access support around their sexual health needs without judgment, shame, or stigma. Thanks to the generous donations from our community, anyone at any age can receive a donated pill or purchase them for only $14.98.  For many, this is their first experience of receiving community care, and they tear up when we let them know a stranger cared about them enough to make a hard day a little bit easier to manage.” 

To continue supporting this program, community members can purchase donation pills at Self Serve or online. Those in need of emergency contraception can visit Self Serve in Albuquerque or order pills online.