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Ways to Support U.S. Asylum Seekers

By Jan Meslin, IWC Project Coordinator

  

IWC is collaborating with the Asylum-Seekers Sponsorship Project (ASSP) to support asylum-seeking women and children in the U.S, thanks to a grant funded in part by the Fund for UU Social Responsibility. Learn more about the project.


In early December 2021 at least 30 asylum-seeking families will receive wellness kits that include information on existing legal service providers, mental health resources, and activities that may help them to cope with and heal from trauma. An interfaith organization in the Dayton, Ohio area has volunteered to put all the kits together and mail them out.

 

Over 15 UUs attended the ASSP-led calls on October 9 and 14 to learn about asylum and concrete ways to volunteer for this project, both virtually and in person. It is hoped that UU congregations and individuals alike will partner with many asylum-seeking families throughout the U.S.

 

Four people signed up on the volunteer form for one or more of these possibilities:

  • Comrade (will connect individually with asylum seekers, become pen pals, buddies)

  • Researcher (will help ASSP conduct research to become even better allies in their work toward liberation)

  • In-kind Donor (will help with goods or services, e.g. mailing “know your rights” booklets, gift cards, art kits and other items)

  • Sponsor (will sign up to be a sponsor)

  • Other (e.g. vetting, resource map, translator, web support, social media support)

     

We sent out follow-up emails to all who registered and/or attended; we are also getting more responses. One person who filled out the volunteer form is planning to house an asylum seeker temporarily. If you would like to volunteer, please use this form and we will schedule a one-on-one call with you. 

 

If you would like to attend the next call with ASSP on November 20th at 12pm PST/3pm EST, please sign up HERE.


Finally, please help us get $2,000 in donations for a matching grant from the UUFP! Remember the $15,000 we were awarded? An additional $2,000 raised would be matched by the UUFP, providing more support for asylum-seekers! To qualify for the match, the contributions must come from new donors - people who have not given to IWC before. If you haven't donated to IWC before, please donate and ask your friends and family to donate following the directions below. 


Send your check payable to the International Women's Convocation noting "UUFP Challenge" in the memo line, to: 7811 S 113th St., Seattle, WA 98178; or donate HERE via credit card or bank transfer. If you donate online, please click on "dedicate this gift," then "in honor of," and mention "UUFP Challenge." Thank you for your generosity!