Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Work Hours
Monday to Friday: 7AM - 7PM
Weekend: 10AM - 5PM
Meet the Clinic Escorts
Meet the volunteers at the heart of Human Shield.
Through their stories, we witness the courage, compassion, and quiet determination it takes to help patients access reproductive healthcare in an increasingly hostile landscape.
TOLEDO, OHIO
KRISTIN
Kristin is a mother of three, community organizer, and the volunteer leader of the Toledo Women’s Center Clinic Escorts.
What began as a desire to help patients safely access care has grown into nearly a decade of advocacy, organizing, and leadership. As she balances raising a family with supporting the clinic, Kristin has become a trusted voice in Ohio’s reproductive justice movement, proving that ordinary people can make an extraordinary difference.
How Clinic Escorting Changed Her
“There was a long time I did not see myself with kids, and then boom, I had three. I wasn't involved with anything, and then suddenly I was a stay at home parent - then I found clinic escorting, this other life outside of my family, something that I'm passionate about, and it became about balancing family and my passion."
Toledo Abortion Center Escorts
The Toledo Abortion Center Escorts (TAC) is an all-volunteer group that supports patients at the Toledo Women’s Center, the only abortion clinic serving the Toledo region.
In addition to escorting patients safely into the clinic, TAC organizes community events, fundraisers, and educational outreach to strengthen local support for abortion access in Northwest Ohio.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
KELSEA
Kelsea is the volunteer leader of the Triangle Abortion Access Coalition clinic escorts in Raleigh, North Carolina.
After experiencing firsthand how protesters harassed patients during her own abortion, she made a promise to ensure others would never have to face that moment alone. Bold, outspoken, and fiercely compassionate, Kelsea has built a strong community of volunteers dedicated to protecting patients, even as escalating threats and harassment force her to confront the personal cost of this work.
Her Connection to Clinic Escorting
“My first abortion, I was really committed to keeping that a secret and not involving anyone that loved me… it was isolating, it was terrible. I remember just hating myself and hating my body and feeling like my body was betraying me. And then seeing how many people come alone…for me it’s very much about having that moment to let a patient know you’re not alone.”
Triangle Abortion Access Coalition
The Triangle Abortion Access Coalition (TAAC) is a volunteer-led organization serving patients and clinics throughout the Raleigh/Durham region in North Carolina’s Triangle.
Alongside clinic escorting, TAAC works to expand abortion access through practical support, volunteer training, community education, and advocacy, recognizing that patients often face multiple barriers before they ever reach a clinic.
HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND
JEREMY
Jeremy is a volunteer with the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force, serving the Hagerstown Reproductive Health Services clinic in western Maryland.
Inspired by his wife, Cara, he signed up for his first escort shift despite feeling anxious about the risks and uncertainty of the role. Through patience, empathy, and quiet determination, Jeremy grows from a first-time volunteer into a trusted trainer and leader, helping recruit and mentor the next generation of clinic escorts as demand for abortion care continues to rise.
Why He Decided to Volunteer
“When Cara first got involved with volunteering, I was terrified. People get killed, people get attacked, and at the very least you get shouted at and demeaned. But seeing how inspired she was, and what she got out of it, going from this kind of hopeless feeling to feeling like she’s doing something and connecting with these people, I was really proud of her. And I just thought, I should do it. I need to volunteer. For me, it’s a profound act of kindness to stand there being screamed at and helping someone go to a doctor’s appointment.”
HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND
CARA
Cara is a longtime clinic escort and volunteer with the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force in western Maryland.
Deeply committed to destigmatizing abortion care, she focuses on building a strong, sustainable escort program rooted in compassion, training, and community support. Cara plays a key role in welcoming and mentoring new volunteers, working to ensure that patients are met with calm, steady care and that escorting remains accessible to anyone who wants to help.
Why She Decided to Volunteer
“I read a book by an abortion doctor… and that made me decide to get involved because she talked so much about the volunteers helping her. It felt like it was getting to be not enough to just identify as someone who is pro-choice. I wanted to put something physical into it, like go one step further. It feels like you have to be a really outgoing person to do escorting, but in reality the people who are quiet and calm tend to be the most successful.”
Washington Area Clinic Defense
Task Force
Founded in the 1980s, the Washington Area Clinic Defense Task Force (WACDTF) is one of the nation’s longest-running clinic escort organizations.
The all-volunteer, nonviolent organization provides trained escorts at reproductive healthcare clinics throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, helping patients safely access care while working in partnership with clinics and local law enforcement.