Last year, the Latina Giving Circle membership came together to identify the issues of most need in our communities where our investment would be impactful.
Through the discussions and following grant process, we selected Casa Cornelia Law Center and the San Diego Rapid Response Network for their work to protect vulnerable immigrants, undocumented and/or deferred status.
Since then, the need for engagement, services, and support in this area has grown immensely. From the family separation crisis to ICE presence in our communities, to the humanitarian crisis of the asylum seekers, our grant partners have stepped up alongside dozens of other groups and funders to respond.
What are the grant partners doing and how can we help?
San Diego Rapid Response Network continues to respond to increased immigration enforcement activities throughout the San Diego County. In late October, they established a migrant shelter to provide meals, medical care, legal services, and travel aid for asylum seekers as they await the outcome of their application for asylum.
This week, the coalition announced that the shelter is now at capacity as immigration authorities release migrants from detention more quickly than before and without travel assistance.
To learn more about the shelter and how you can help with monetary or in-kind donations, click here.
To hear a recent interview on KPBS about the shelter and the work of the network, click here.
Casa Cornelia Law Center is the largest nonprofit firm assisting adult asylum seekers and unaccompanied detained children in San Diego County. Through their volunteer interpreters, this year they provided almost 3,000 hours of language support for non-English speaking clients to ensure that they had fair representation and fully understood their rights.
Casa Cornelia works with the ACLU to monitor all class action cases and changes in federal policy, so they can provide the most informed and successful legal services.
Click here to learn more about the programs and how you can help as a volunteer or donor.
Where does Latina Giving Circle go from here?
In 2018, Latina Giving Circle joined a table of local funders committed to advancing a just immigration system and a welcoming region for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.
Together we are convening local and national funders around this issue, and showcasing the incredible work of our grantees and partners. Already, we have participated in one convening with another two planned.
The work will not stop with our grant checks. We stand alongside our local funding and nonprofit partners in responding to the border crisis and will continue to identify opportunities for Latina Giving Circle members to get involved.
Thank you for your support and please stay tuned.
