TAOS IMMIGRANT ALLIES: SEPT – OCT – 2020 NEWSLETTER

Autumnal Greetings to you and your families. We hope you and your family are safe and as happy as possible under these trying times. With the weather changing, the needs of others in Taos are overwhelming, especially for our immigrant neighbors and friends. We are busy answering urgent requests for financial assistance: rent, food, utilities, and other special needs. Your generous donations and the grants we have been awarded have allowed us to do the following:

• We have distributed over $52,000 in aid since May.

• Thanks again to our generous donors in Taos and multiple grants us to serve over 135 families.

• We helped a diverse population of people including homeless people, seniors, single parents, disabled people, and many children that are in need. With schools operating remotely, the needs have only grown.

• 100% of all donations and grants are directly used for immigrant needs.

We would like to be able to continue this work until Covid 19 crisis has passed and people are back to work. There are huge deficits in our community including the list below. Please consider donating in this unprecedented time. We genuinely appreciate all of you and the incredible work we can do together.

1. Our 9 Little Free Pantries around town are kept clean and stocked, and will soon need to be winterized. Stewards are watching over the LFPs, stocking them on a regular basis as they are increasingly used for emergency food needs 24/7. If you are interested in food insecurity consider buying a few extra nonperishable foods items next time you shop and drop them in a LFP near you! A list of the LFP locations will be at the end of the letter. If you desire to become a regular LFP steward please let us know.

2. With winter upon us – we are hoping to obtain money to winterize some homes for our most needy families inorder to lower their utility cost now and in the future.  We hope to obtain a small grant to buy materials and have volunteers organize and supervise the work with immigrant families. We will obtain referrals from the Enos Community School survey and the Nurturing Center, etc. Donors can also help with this fund, or if you have talents to help winterize, please let us know.

3. We also have started a small sponsorship program for families – donors can support a family at $100/month for 6-12 months to give them some security of knowing they will receive a check each month, helping them develop budgeting skills and a strategy for meeting their other needs. If this interests you, contact us.

We also strongly recommend the movies Immigration Nation as well as Social Dilemma on Netflix. We all need to be aware of what is happening to our neighbors and our society.

Please help us support those who cook our food, serve us in restaurants, clean our hotel rooms and our houses, and keep our economy humming. Many of our neighbors receive no government assistance and are in need right now.

Your financial support is gravely needed now. And please keep our undocumented neighbors, friends and coworkers in your thoughts!

With gratitude and concern,

— Bea, Del, Jean, Susann, Wendy, Jacob, Colleen, Carrell, and Jody.

LFP Locations – Gusdorf Park, Fred Baca Park, Rio Lucero Road, Mariposa Road at Kit Carson, Civic Plaza, First Pres. Church, Taos Net/Vigil Trailer Park, Straight Arrow Road and Arroyo Hondo Community Center.

There are several different ways you can donate to TIA:

• You can go to our GoFund Me page: gofundme.com/f/taos-immigrant-allies

• TIA is fiscally sponsored by the 501(c)(3) B’nai Shalom Havurah

• If you require a tax-deductible donation send a check with TIA written on the memo line made to B’nai Shalom Havura, 810 Dillon Lane, Taos 87571 – Please include your email.

• If you do NOT need a tax deduction for your contribution, it is best to make the check payable to Taos United with TIA on the memo line.   Send all mail to Taos Immigrant Allies P.O. Box 2287  Taos, NM 87571

• Like us on Facebook@Taos Immigrant Allies