TAOS IMMIGRANT ALLIES – JANUARY 2021 NEWSLETTER

It is a brand new day!

We are sure you too felt the cloud of armed domestic terrorism lift with the peaceful and thoroughly inspiring inauguration of our 46th President. Among many abrupt policy shifts, the President brings the promise of citizenship for 11million immigrants, stopping wall construction, and renewal of DACA!

While the challenges cannot disappear overnight, there is hope that a new attitude toward immigration will make the path clearer for the many who seek a better life in the USA and a strengthened appreciation for appreciation for the richness and diversity immigrants bring.

We heard in the prayers and poems of January 20th phrases that offer deep support for the work we do. “Care for one another in word and deed, especially the less fortunate among us” (Father O’Donnell), “befriend the lonely, the least and the left out.” (Rev. Beamen)

As you may know, starting in May 2020 TIA began addressing growing immigrant needs caused by the pandemic. We were receiving requests to help with food, rent and utilities from a population ineligible for federal stimulus grants and unemployment. We had six requests during May that grew to 30 requests in July and 49 requests in December. In December alone our monetary support for immigrants with food, rent, and utilities totaled close to $12,500. To help as many as possible we had to limit checks to $300 per family per month, and when funds were depleted we had to stop writing checks until the coffers filled again.

Last summer we began to address food insecurity by placing 10 Little Free Pantries (LFPs) around the county. These are “Give What You Can – Take What You Need” available 24/7 semi-permanently installed wooden boxes. More than 45 Community TIA volunteers are stewards of the LFPs, helping to clean and restock them seven days a week. Four Churches are involved. We estimate the stewards are providing at least $1000/week in donations of food! Many people who use the pantries are not immigrants but are those who have lived in Taos all their lives and have lost their jobs or have reduced work hours etc. due to the pandemic. The use of the pantries has increased greatly. In 2020 we also gave $14,000 in grocery cards to heads of households.

Most recently, we began a Sponsorship Program for immigrant families. The recipients are selected by our Community Education partners at Enos Garcia Elementary School. Currently six anonymous families are sponsored with $100 checks a month for six or twelve months, paid by sponsoring donors in advance. The goal is to offer a small level of longer-range security to families in need.

In 2021 we hope to sustain these programs and grow them as needed. We are reaching out to you this month specifically to ask you to consider sending us stimulus money you may have received and don’t really need. A bold ask, we know! Please remember, 100% of all donations go directly to our immigrants in need as TIA is an all-volunteer organization.

As quickly as the money comes in, it goes out directly to help our clients. All amounts of donations are greatly appreciated.

Here are several ways you can help:

Our Go Fund Me

Donate to Taos United with TIA in the memo. Send checks to Taos United P.O. Box 2287 Taos, NM 87571

Write Tax deductible donations to B’NaiShalmon Havurah with TIA in the memo and include your email address. Send these checks to 810 Dillon Lane Taos, NM 87571

To become a Family Sponsor your check for $600 (sponsoring a family for six months) or $1,200 (sponsoring for one year) can be written to either of the above. You will be notified as soon as a family is identified.

We also partner with Mountain Home HealthCare Fund for Immigrants. This non-profit specifically offers health-care funds for undocumented immigrants with no insurance. Please write tax-deductible checks to Mountain Home Health Care with “donation for immigrant fund” and mail to 630 Paseo del Pueblo Sur #180 Taos NM 87571

“There is always a light if we are brave enough to see it.” (Amanda Gorman) Let us shine a beacon in dark times!

TIA is awed by and deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors – like YOU – and grantors, including the Robert T. Keeler Foundation, Con Alma Health Foundation, Taos Community Foundation, All Together Grant, and all who are making our pandemic aid and longer-range assistance possible.

— Bea, Del, Jean, Wendy, Susann, Jacob, Diana, Teresa, Gladys and many helpers.