Behind the counter at Thorne’s of Concord, a personal health and intimate wellness store on Main Street, James Roesener springs into action whenever the phone rings with a request for discreet curbside pickup.

With practiced care, Roesener packs little brown paper bags adorned with white polka dots, wrapping its contents – a box of emergency contraceptive pills, a few condoms, and informational booklets on their proper use – in soft tissue paper.

Each bag is carefully prepared as a thoughtful gesture, shielding the privacy of those who seek it during their most sensitive moments of need.

 “It’s a natural extension of our broader mission which is to empower our community to make decisions about their intimate health and wellness in an inclusive and pleasure-centered way,” said Roesener, the manager at Thorne’s of Concord and a state representative. “We wanted to be able to remove those barriers that people might face when it comes to making intimate health decisions, especially because we’ve heard so many folks say it was expensive and they had an embarrassing or shameful experience picking it up at a pharmacy.”

Earlier this year Thorne’s of Concord began offering free emergency contraceptive pills — often called the morning-after pill or by the brand name Plan B, which typically costs $40 to $50.

These pills are usually kept behind a glass case or counter and must be purchased through the pharmacist, despite not requiring a prescription.

Following the November election, the business ramped up its social media efforts to promote curbside pickup, where individuals can receive the pills and condoms within 15 to 20 minutes of calling.

“People seem to be really galvanized around these issues,” said Roesner. “Now that we have seen the outcome of the election, we understand the importance of resources like Plan B and condoms going forward, especially when it comes to personal health and bodily autonomy.”

Thorne’s of Concord is not the only local business in Concord offering free emergency contraceptives — Teetotaller Cafe and Penumbra also participate, distributing the pills through the Reproductive Freedom Fund of New Hampshire (ReproFund).

ReproFund partners with local businesses and clinics to provide free emergency contraceptives, relying on donations and surplus stock from companies.

Josie Pinto, founder and executive director of ReproFund, explained that after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, she felt it was essential to focus on preventative measures due to growing concerns among people. ReproFund also provides abortion funding alongside its other services.

“I really think of them as places that people can go to and feel safe in their community at a time that is so scary and volatile,” said Pinto. “I guess that’s kind of a huge reason why I value this program so much and I’m so glad we did it.”

Given the current political climate around reproductive rights, Pinto said she is less concerned about overall access to Plan B and more focused on the misinformation, stigma, and the $50 cost that can be a barrier for some individuals.

For Emmett Soldati, owner of Teetotaller Cafe, the business has always been more than a coffee and tea spot. Opened two years ago, the cafe was created as an inclusive community space, welcoming people of all backgrounds.

So offering emergency contraceptive pills in the cafe’s rose-red, gender-neutral bathroom felt natural, especially with a younger clientele often in need of resources not easily found elsewhere.

“I just think to me Plan B is a harm reduction strategy,” said Soldati. “We know that it’s evidence-based that when people have access to birth control to contraceptives and to Plan B there’s better health outcomes and there’s sort of better social outcomes.”

In the brightly colored café with vibrant walls and furniture, Soldati almost feels like he’s living in a bubble where everything is perfect.

But at the State House just two blocks away, Republicans hold a strong majority in both the House and Senate. Soldati, who ran unsuccessfully this year for a seat on the Executive Council, feels a growing cynicism about the state’s direction, fearing it may ultimately abdicate its responsibilities.

“At the State House is a body of government that a majority of them probably would want to roll back some of the protections and rights that me and members of my staff and community have,” Soldati said. “It’s unfortunate how much slack our business sector, our private sector and the nonprofit sector has to pick up in this state.”

Alyssa McClary, who owns the plant store Penumbra with her wife Alison Murphy on North State Street, keeps a drawer stocked with boxes of emergency contraceptives under the changing table in the bathroom.

It’s only been a few months since Penumbra started offering these pills, but McClary is glad to have them available alongside pads, tampons, diapers, and wipes.

“I’m happy to have them if people need it. I’m happy to be a safe place,” said McClary. “I think I would love to live in a world where I didn’t need to wonder every day if as a woman or a queer person, my rights were going to be taken away.”

While many states across the country have moved to ban or restrict abortion earlier in pregnancy, emergency contraceptives remain accessible in all 50 states. In New Hampshire, abortion is legal for up to 24 weeks, with exceptions made for fatal fetal diagnoses and when the pregnant person’s life is at risk.

In Concord, three local businesses offering free emergency contraceptive pills have encountered no backlash and are committed to continuing this service, providing a safe, supportive space for anyone in need, for as long as possible.

“If people are protesting helping teenage girls get access to contraceptives you’d have to really bury your head in the sand to think that that’s a good idea that serves families, communities or young women in the future,” said Soldati. “I’m never one that’s been shy about sort of an upcoming fight.”

For more locations that distribute emergency contraceptives for free visit www.reprofund.org.

 

Sruthi Gopalakrishnan can be reached at sgopalakrishnan@cmonitor.com