Immigration Circle Update 3/30/22

Leaders of the Immigration Circle recently met and wanted to share opportunities with CCC members to support refugees and immigrants in our area.  If you have other suggestions or want to join the Immigration Circle google groups to get information on urgent needs and ways to advocate, please contact Dayna Brown Majarowitz or Anna DeNicolo. 

• NEW!!!  Some CCC members have established close connections with a family who fled Afghanistan last August. After 3 months in 3 camps, they are now settled in Riverdale. The mom, Zahra, is a work colleague of Jennifer Breads who grew up at CCC and currently works for JHPIEGO. The dad, Rohullah, was a surgeon in Kabul and is learning English. They have 3 young children, Amir Ali, Hania and Sarah. Zahra’s 21 year old niece, also named Zahra lives with them. They are being helped by the International Rescue Committee and Homes not Borders furnished their apartment. Our current opportunity is to help them with transportation costs associated with getting to work and medical appointments via public transportation, or via Lyft. We are collecting new and partially used Metro Fare cards to donate to them, as well as any gift cards for Uber or Lyft (available in retail stores).  Please contact Barbara Breads, 301-385-0595, bjbpt@aol.com, for details on donating or to help with other identified needs for this special family.

• Food Justice DMV supports recent immigrants and refugees, and was the recipient of our Reverse Advent Calendar collection.  They have the following volunteer needs. If you are interested, contact Denise Woods at denise@foodjusticedmv.org or text 202-415-9757. Spanish is helpful, but not required. See www.foodjusticedmv.org 
  • Fundraising: fundraising support to continue to meet ongoing needs for food, etc. 
  • Delivery volunteers: every Tuesday 10-12 at Fairfax Circle Church or Saturday 10-12 at St Stephen’s in DC to pick up food, produce, diapers, formula, wipes, sanitary pads and masks and deliver to 5 to 15 families
  • Produce baggers: Thursday am in Hyattsville and evening in DC we need people to bag produce.
  • People with Trucks (PWT): People are needed to deliver furniture throughout the DMV on an as needed basis. 
  • Clothing/Home Good/Bag collectors: People are needed who can set up drop off zones on their porches for people to bring gently used clothes, home goods, furniture and used paper/plastic bags.
  • Research Coach:  Work with families to identify resources including rent support, utilities, medical insurance, etc. Many face obstacles navigating legal and bureaucratic systems, schools, courts etc.,and need help applying for government programs that they are eligible for, etc.  FJDMV does the research, then shares relevant information. 
  • Interpretation: Virtually “accompany” non-Spanish speaking volunteers who distribute food including calling the families that are scheduled to receive food get their specific needs (diaper size/formula type/mask type/otc meds, etc), give instructions to receive their order and coordinate the volunteer drop off.

• The Washington Ethical Society is hosting an Afghan family in Silver Spring and is seeking English teachers/ tutors starting in April to teach the adults in their Georgia Ave apartment weekday mornings. If you are interested in teaching English but that timing doesn’t work for you,  there are  opportunities with other organizations supporting refugees as well. Please contact Anna DeNicolo amdenicolo@gmail.com if you are interested. 

• Homes Not Borders provides the refugee, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) and asylum-seeking population of the D.C. area with what they need to thrive and feel at home. They are in need of monetary donations,  as well as volunteers to help with moving furniture or help with administrative work. For more info, see https://www.homesnotborders.org/ or email laura@homesnotborders.org.