A BRIEF PAST HISTORY
Taos Immigrant Allies, aka TIA, is a group of volunteers started in November of 2016 to assist Taos County immigrant families. Bonnie Korman and Wendy Clarke were the first co chair people as a subgroup of Taos United along with Susann McCarthy, Bea Balsamo, and others on the committee under Taos United. Bonnie Golden joined later, rallied around Jose and Vannesa Gonzalez in their efforts to protect and inform Taos County immigrants about their rights as well as border issues and trips. They also arranged visits by the Mexican Consulate, and to bring immigration lawyers to Taos to meet with the families’ that Jose and Vannesa organized.
TIA raised funds to pay for DACA initial and renewal fees; to assist with limited medical bills.
TIA was in a community educational and advocacy role; having public events, book authors did presentations, movies about Immigrant issues as well as discussions at monthly Taos United meetings. We helped spread information for business owners about how to protect their immigrant employees, and kept abreast of the legislation and policies that affect immigrants, using our voices by calling and writing our elected officials. TIA was a big part of making Taos Town and Taos County an Immigrant Friendly community.
Some volunteers went on border trips to deliver donations as well as follow up trips to deliver much needed medicine to a shelter in Mexico. TIA helped families in need during end of life issues, helped unite another family after a death, match medical equipment and household appliances, with family's needs, etc. Much was accomplished during this time.
Extensive information, outreach, and advocacy was offered to the immigrant families.
In addition, the general Taos community became informed and engaged, actively supporting undocumented immigrants at a very precarious time for them.
COVID TIME - 3/13th to present - 8/30/21
Since the COVID pandemic, our activities and volunteers have changed significantly. So many immigrants lost work, and were not eligible for unemployment, stimulus checks or any other support during this time. We engaged in meeting their urgent needs, primarily in dispersing funds to those in dire need of assistance with basic needs such as rent, utilities, food, and needs. TIA delivered St James food boxes of food for families positive for Covid, with patient education materials, masks, and sanitizer. We use Google Voice to communicate with our families, and to make intakes/interviews to help the actual needs of our immigrant clients, and still protect their needed confidentiality.
TIA started the Little Free Pantries (LFPs) program pre covid but have expanded by placing 12 pantries around our community. All are stewarded by churches or groups of friends/teams, over 45 strong who keep the Little Free Pantries clean and well stocked. GIVE WHAT YOU CAN- TAKE WHAT YOU NEED is the motto. The LFP program provides emergency food needs 24/7 for the entire community. Thousands of dollars of donated food has been distributed via the LFP project
Two of our supporters produced a video in Spanish explaining and demonstrating CDC COVID-19 safety protocols. We paid ESL language teacher salary during the summer of 2020, gathered used computers for ESL class students.
TIA currently has 18 families who receive modest monthly sponsorships to help them without their needing to ask for help. Presently we are assisting in filling out applications for NM Emergency Rent and Utilities Assistance, Members helping Members, Pro Bono medical care. We raised funds for backpacks and school supplies for children. Our newest project is to assist those who may be eligible seeking child care, health Insurance, and internet assistance.
TIA has coordinated four Covid Vaccination Clinics, with FEMA and NM State Health Department. Going where our families are, these have been held at Straight Arrow Road, St. James Food Distribution site during Backpack distribution and also during 2 St James Food distribution days. We have 2 more Covid clinics planned. We are calling all TIA and Sin Fronteras families to inquire about their vaccination status, answer questions they may have, motivate and help to register if desired. We are coordinating with Sin Fronteras Nuevo Mexico with this and many other activities. We also coordinated with 3 UNM-Taos Covid Vaccination Clinics with banners and advertisements.
We are now operating under the 501(c) 3 nonprofit B’nai Shalom Havurah, which has helped us apply for multiple grants. We have received grants from Con Alma Health Foundation, Taos Community Foundation, Keeler Foundation, All Together NM Foundation , LOR Foundation to help with Census, and New Mexico Foundation to help with LFP - to a grand total of $69,500. We have also been very fortunate to have donations in excess of $100,000 from our donor community. Since the Covid era began we have been able to assist our immigrant community with a total of $136,000, plus thousands of donated food via LFPs.
Our present volunteers consist of Wendy Clarke, Susann McCarthy, Bea Balsamo since early in the beginning of TIA, joining Del Endres, Jean Kenin, Jacob Crisp, Frances Cruz, Diana Arreola, Teresa Swayne, Bee Falcon, Gladys Herrera-Gurule and many others. We coordinate with the Nurturing Center of Enos Community School, St James, Sin Fronteras, El Centro, Mountain Home Health care, CAV, TECC, UNM Taos, SelfHelp LA, El Centro, HELPNM, and ESL programs, COAD, Youth Heartline, etc.
Up until recently there was no administrative cost. TIA operated entirely by volunteers, and 100% of the donated money we received was used for the direct needs of our immigrant community. Then we saw the need to hire two part time bilingual Family Navigators to make TIA more efficient and sustainable. We received grants to pay for their salaries.
Our work will continue, adjusting as more of our families are able to find work. Our focus is to help those in the most need - undocumented families.
We send deepest gratitude to all of our generous donors and the Foundations that believe in and support us. We also offer a special thanks to B’nai Shalom Havurah- our nurturing fiscal agent.