Help a Family Return to Colombia

I’m starting this fundraiser on behalf of a family who has grown to mean a lot to me over the last 2 years. They have, unfortunately, been impacted by the drastic shifts in federal immigration policy and are trying to get back to Colombia out of fear of being wrongfully deported to another country. 

Prior to coming to the U.S., they were living in a climate-impacted zone, where floods left them living, homeless, in water up to their knees. The kids were constantly getting sick. Unemployment is a major issue in the part of Colombia where they’re from, which was a major factor in their choice to leave. After working in the U.S. for the last year, they were able to save up enough to buy a small home with family back in Colombia - but they’re $3,000 short.

They’re asking for community support to help them close this gap so they have a place to go home to upon their eminent deportation. Any amount helps, and they are so grateful for your trust. 

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Some additional background:

I met this family back in 2023, while I was distributing water in Skid Row. They had just completed a months-long journey from Colombia to the U.S. - by foot - and were homeless with their two kids at the time. Shelters were at capacity, and the wait for other temporary housing was 6 months or more, so they chose to live in a tent, and eventually, a car.

After months of making calls, we were finally able to get them into a shelter. From there, they were able to start applying for jobs, and after another few months of searching, they found roles as housekeepers and factory workers. Things were looking up - but then Trump got into office, and the risk of deportation started to outweigh the benefit of having jobs. 

The family has 2 amazing kids, 13 and 6, who are some of the most intelligent, kind, respectful kids I know. Their parents and I want nothing more than for them to have a bit of stability after uprooting their lives multiple times and witnessing things no person should ever have to see while on the road from Colombia to LA. Having a home to return to would be the first place to start. 

Thank you for supporting this family - they are so grateful for anything you can contribute.