How to help the migrants and our country, right now

TEXAS

-       STOP DEATH AND MISTREATMENT

o   South Texas Human Rights Center
http://southtexashumanrights.org/
A community-based center, this humanitarian organization seeks to end death and suffering on the Texas-Mexico border. It engages in different community initiatives to attain this goal.

o   Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services is the largest provider of free and low cost immigration services in West Texas and says it’s the only organization in El Paso serving unaccompanied children.

o   Circle of Health International has staffed a clinic caring for refugees and asylum seekers immediately upon their their release. Their McAllen, Texas, clinic is currently seeing up to 100 patients a day.

o   The El Paso-based Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center provides legal representation to immigrants who might not be able to afford it otherwise. It’s accepting volunteers and donations.

-       LEGAL SERVICES

o   RAICES https://www.raicestexas.org/ The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas. RAICES is the largest immigration non-profit in Texas with offices in Austin, Corpus, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio.

o   Casa de Proyecto Libertad
http://www.proyectolibertad.net/
Provides legal defense and advocacy for immigrant families in the Rio Grande Valley, supporting community organizing for immigrant human rights. The organization gives quality, low-cost legal services for immigrants, and is always looking for volunteers.

o   ProBAR (The South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project), based in Harlingen, Texas, provides free legal services to detained asylum-seekers. It recruits, trains, and coordinates the activities of volunteer lawyers, law students, and legal assistants. (It is a joint project of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and is supported by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation.)

o   The Texas Civil Rights Project is seeking “volunteers who speak Spanish, Mam, Q’eqchi’ or K’iche’ and have paralegal or legal assistant experience.”

o   CARA—a consortium of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, the American Immigration Council, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association—provides legal services at family detention centers.

ARIZONA

-       STOP DEATH AND MISTREATMENT

o   No More Deaths/No Más Muertes
http://nomoredeaths.org/
A humanitarian organization based in southern Arizona, it works to end death and suffering in U.S.-Mexico borderlands. It encourages a humane immigrant policy and seeks for volunteers for its programs and services. Its website also provides up-to-date information about migrant deaths in the border; note that this is currently not available as the website is offline.

-       LEGAL

o   The Florence Project is an Arizona project offering free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in immigration custody.

-        

-       IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

o   Coalición de Derechos Humanos
http://www.derechoshumanosaz.net/
Grassroots organization that promotes human and civil rights of immigrants, fighting border militarization and migrant abuses. Derechos Humanos acts to influence public policy and opinion on immigration. Its bilingual website has useful resources for immigrants and advocates, such as 'Know Your Rights' cards, an abuse report hotline, and updated information on Arizona migrant deaths.

CALIFORNIA

-       STOP DEATH AND MISTREATMENT

o   Ángeles del Desierto/The Desert Angels
http://losangelesdeldesierto.org/
A binational humanitarian group, located in San Diego, CA, that conducts search & rescue operations, with the sole purpose of saving lives and rescuing bodies. The organization also helps with Mexican repatriations and by leaving essential supplies along paths.

-       IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

o   American Friends Service Committee San Diego
http://www.afsc.org/office/san-diego-ca
AFSC San Diego supports immigrant-led organizations by developing "human rights committees" and working to include immigrant voices in policy debates. It is also in charge of the AFSC San Diego U.S.-Mexico Border Program which seeks to protect the human rights and self-determination of migrants and border communities.

o   Many migrants cleared to enter the U.S. by the Department of Homeland Security are turning to a migrant shelter run by the San Diego Rapid Response Network for help. The coalition provides these families with basic supplies, legal services, and information about the rights of asylum seekers, as well as travel and limited financial assistance to help them reach loved ones in other U.S. cities. You can help fund the group's recently opened migrant family shelter by donating to this GoFundMe campaign. 

ACROSS THE BORDER

-       STOP DEATH AND MISTREATMENT

o   Coalición de Derechos Humanos CDH (described below in Immigrant Rights section) has a Missing Migrant Project which includes specific attention to the recovery of remains. https://derechoshumanosaz.net/resources/disappeared-report/

o   Humane Borders/Fronteras Compasivas
http://www.humaneborders.org/
Offers humanitarian assistance through the deployment of water stations on routes commonly used by migrants, with the sole goal of preventing deaths. It also develops informational resources about migrant deaths, and accepts volunteers.

o   Colibri Center for Human Rights
http://colibricenter.org/
Holds a comprehensive database of missing persons last seen crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, using the information to match families with unidentified remains and advocate for the continuing human rights crisis on the border. 

o   The Sanctuary Caravan is a group supporters, including faith, labor, and community leaders, accompanying migrant children and their families at the border. You can get involved by housing a migrant family, volunteering, fundraising, joining upcoming events, or donating. 

-       IMMIGRANT RIGHTS:

o   Border Network for Human Rights
http://bnhr.org/
BNHR is an immigration reform and human rights advocacy group. It is a grassroots organizer with a large membership and capabilities, currently focusing on the nation-wide push for a just immigration reform. The organization also releases useful reports, including annual documentations of abuses in the border. 

o   Southern Border Communities Coalition
http://soboco.org/
Bringing together 60 organizations from California to Texas, Southern Border Communities Coalition looks to ensure fair and accountable border enforcement, humane and rational immigration policy, and a positive quality of life for border communities. Its website has up-do-date border accountability information, including a section documenting Border Patrol murders since 2010.

o   Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project works to prevent the deportation of asylum-seeking families fleeing violence. The group accepts donations and asks people to sign up for volunteer opportunities here.

-        

MEXICO

-       LEGAL SERVICES

o   Centro de los Derechos del Migrante
http://www.cdmigrante.org/
Binational organization based in Mexico City that educates, empowers, and advocates for immigrants, while also providing transnational legal representation and advice. CDM focuses on the rights of Mexico-based migrant workers who must constantly move between their homes and the United States.

-       IMMIGRANT RIGHTS

o   Save the Children, an organization that protects and supports children around the world, has set up child-friendly spaces in Tijuana. Save the Children creates these spaces in emergency situations in an effort to provide children with a safe, playful environment that's stocked with toys and crafts. You can help support migrant children's needs by donating here. 

-        

CONGRESS

TPS, DED, DACA preservation: https://www.afsc.org/blogs/news-and-commentary/congress-considering-legislation-to-protect-tps-ded-and-daca

American Friends Service: https://www.afsc.org/blogs/news-and-commentary/5-ways-to-take-action-against-family-separation

-        

Use Goodwill with Good Will

Being the holiday season, we've made a few trips to Goodwill, dropping off old, unused toys, and picking up new (to us) ones!

I'm not really big into huge causes and I can't contribute much to society at this point in my life, but I love Goodwill because it's an easy and local way to show my kids that giving is not only important, it's also fun.

We've been going since they were two. I bring them with me so that they understand that their toys and clothes don't just 'disappear,' they go to other people.

My kids will say, afterward, "Hey, where did our little chairs go?" or "Where did that shirt I loved go?" And I get to remind them that we gave them away. And they'll say, "Oh yeah! They were too small. We gave them to other babies who need them!"

Now, at first, they just knew that when we went to Goodwill, they could pick out a toy.



Cool new racecar? Neat! They didn't know it was supposed to be remote-controlled. In fact, we still have this car. Because they really like it.

Other toys they have picked, we have used for a while, then given back. Almost as if we're borrowing them or renting them. The girls are getting a good sense of use and reuse from our quarterly trips.

And some of these toys are amazing. We plan on keeping these for a while (well, the horse will go back soon as they're getting too big to ride it. But the keyboard is gold. And when they've outgrown it, someone else will be able to use it for years for $4.)

The sting of losing their music table didn't hurt so badly when we got a little horse in return. And while right now the girls are associating giving with getting something physical, soon, they'll associate giving with getting a good feeling. Helping is important. This broadens their world view. They don't just see our living room, their toys. They know that those toys can go to other homes and that sometimes we bring home toys from other people too. It's one big giving tree (with a few dollars, of course.)

And for me, the clothing is amazing. Some of our best stuff is from Goodwill. Yeah, I can get the $3 shirts on sale at KMart, and I do. But there's some real quality and unique clothing I've gotten at Goodwill for the same price. Because I'm just not at a place right now where I can spend $20 on a shirt or $50 on a sweater that they'll outgrow in two months.

That amazing sweater? Goodwill. No way I could afford something like that firsthand.

That shirt with the personality and flair? Goodwill.

And as we grow out of our clothes, we donate them right back.

It's important to teach your kids about charity and giving in ways they can see and understand. Doing this has shown my kids that it's easy to give. It's also shown them that there is no shame in taking when in need. And most importantly, it's shown them that everyone can have excess of something and not enough of another thing and we all need to share together.

This week we'll be packing up some barely used tricycles (the girls grew out of those in a hot second before we could use them enough), gently used comforters for kids' beds, and a plethora of clothing and toys we no longer use or need.

Goodwill. It's about good will.


 

Guest Post - Give and Get Back with Charitable Donations

Today a guest post on the spirit of giving.


We all know that warm, fuzzy feeling associated with doing a good deed, but it turns out we can pinpoint the benefits of putting others first. According to the Harvard Business School, a study showed that participants who gave money to someone else experienced more happiness than spending on themselves. These results support a greater belief that altruism, is a common trait of the happiest, healthiest people.
A 1999 study out of the Buck center for Research in Aging showed that high volunteering seniors had a 63 percent lower mortality than non-volunteers, according to NIH.gov. Along with altruism's social and health benefits, charitable giving offers a financial benefit. Donors can write off all money donated to charitable funds on their taxes.

Charity Navigator

With so many worthy charities, it's difficult to decide where your money will be best used. Charity Navigator provides some insight into hundreds of charities, rating each organization based on transparency and how much of the funding the charity receives actually helps people. This giving guide also categorizes outstanding charities into top ten lists, including charities worth watching, charities in financial trouble and charities expanding in a hurry.
Visit Charitynavigator.com to bone up on your Charity knowledge. From there, you'll be well-informed to donate to a worthy cause. When you're ready to donate, LifeLock charity information will keep you from falling for common charity scams.

Getting Kids Involved

Volunteering can start at any age. Getting kids in on volunteering and helping out is a great opportunity to teach them the importance of giving back and lending a helping hand. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach noted on Oprah.com that "we all want to raise good kids, and part of doing that is giving them real responsibilities, above and beyond doing the dishes." Have the younger ones (ages 6-10) get involved by helping at food banks or spending time with elderly people, playing games with them like checkers or chess. Boteach says that senior citizens are thrilled to see youngsters, especially if they don't have grandkids of their own.
Teenagers should be allowed to flex their charity muscles by volunteering at local animal or homeless shelters. The holiday season is already here, and places like these can use all the help they can get. From passing out food to taking dogs for walks, the holiday season is the busiest time of year for volunteer work.

Red Cross 

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the American Red Cross is leading relief efforts on the East coast. According to CNN, donations to the disaster relief organization topped for Hurricane Sandy relief topped $130 Million. One of the leading factors of the American Red Cross' success is its wide accessibility. Redcross.org features an easy process to donate funds online, and mobile donors can contribute $10 to relief efforts by texting "REDCROSS" to 90999.
If you're short on time but would like to donate to an effective cause, consider supporting this renowned relief organization.

Volunteer Match

Aspiring volunteers have resources as well. Volunteermatch.org lists opportunities in local communities, providing locations, contacting information and RSVP outlets in one platform. Tech-savvy users will enjoy the Volunteer Match app, which repackages this community platform in an on-the-go format. Aspiring helpers can read reviews from former volunteers to gain greater insight into a project. Volunteer Match also enables participants to invite their friends to participate through Facebook.

Causera

Perhaps you see an unrecognized concern that could use some help. Causera enables charity-minded users to start their own fundraising campaign. Causera offers a variety of fundraising products and supporters purchase the selected goods directly from the user's Causera site. This all-in-one fundraising platform takes the hassle out of supporting a little-known cause.

Helping Japan

In the coming days, weeks and months, Japan is going to need our help. The 8.9 earthquake and following tsunami and aftershocks ravaged the area killing tens of thousands. Men, women and children, are lost, homeless, hurt, and scared.  Meanwhile, workers continue to contain the nuclear power plants in the area.

Please, take a moment today and think of Japan and its people. Send them your thoughts and prayers. Please help them in any way you can.

Here are a few resources to help.

Reuters: "Japan scrambled to avert a meltdown at a stricken nuclear plant on Monday after a hydrogen explosion at one reactor and exposure of fuel rods at another, just days after a devastating earthquake and tsunami that killed at least 10,000 people."

"Japan has provided 230,000 units of stable iodine to evacuation centres as a precautioary measure in the country's nuclear emergency, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Monday."

AP: "A tide of bodies washed up along Japan's coastline, crematoriums were overwhelmed and rescue workers ran out of body bags as the nation faced the grim reality of a mounting humanitarian, economic and nuclear crisis Monday after a calamitous tsunami."

AFP: "Beleaguered Tokyo Electric Power on Monday said it had begun a power outage in an area covering some parts of Tokyo and eight prefectures, affecting around 333,000 households."

New York Times: "An explosion was reported at a second nuclear reactor, as it became clear that radioactive releases of steam from the two crippled plants could go on for weeks or even months."

News Updates:

NYT Japan News.

AP Japan News.

Reuters Japan News.


Services and Help:

Google Person Finder.

AT&T offers free calling to Japan.

Donate to the Red Cross.

Donate to MercyCorps.



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