<div>Dear community—
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<div><strong><em>We’re starting a fund to enable some of our most vulnerable 16- and 17-year-old community members to take driver’s ed so they can get their license and the tangible benefits that come along with it.</em></strong><em> Please contribute! Our goal is to raise $19,100, which will give 20 local young people access to the </em><a href="https://www.thenextstreet.com/ma/driving-schools/northampton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>local course</em></a><em>.</em>
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<div>We recently learned from local teachers about a number of 16- and 17-year-old immigrant community members from low-income families who would greatly appreciate help paying for driver’s ed—which, in our state, all eligible young people under the age of 18 must complete in order to get their license. <a href="https://www.thenextstreet.com/ma/driving-schools/northampton/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Locally</a>, this costs the prohibitive amount of $955 per person.
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<div>Some of these individuals currently have access to a car; others are saving up for one. Whatever their specific situation, the benefits for young people of being legally able to drive are wide-ranging and include improved access to healthcare, jobs, and community resources, and increased independence for both individuals and families.
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<div>With this in mind, and with the intensifying threats to many of our country’s immigrant residents, <strong>we’re starting a fund to help immigrant youth meet their goal of becoming legal drivers.</strong> Please donate! Again, our goal of $19,100 will give 20 local young people access to a driver’s ed course.
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<div>For some context: recent young immigrants in our area hail from countries and territories as diverse as Malawi, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Nicaragua, Haiti, El Salvador, Egypt, Pakistan, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. First languages spoken include Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Gujarati, Ukrainian, Quechua, Swahili, and Haitian Creole.
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<div>Driver’s licenses are a high-priority issue for these individuals, many of whom have multiple responsibilities that require transportation.
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<div>Will you join us in providing the kids of our community and their families with a tangible way to increase their opportunities, take jobs and support themselves, transport younger siblings when parents are working, and build their independence as they move toward adulthood?
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<div>While we recognize that there are many in our community who could use this support—not only recent immigrants—we’re focusing on this group because of a direct ask we have received and because immigrants are increasingly vulnerable given the federal administration. That said, we love the idea of expanding the effort in the months and years ahead, so that we can support all interested local young people in achieving the agency that comes with having a driver’s license.
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<div>Please donate, as well as share this fundraiser far and wide locally—and beyond if you’d like! Also, please message us if you know of local businesses or organizations that might be willing to make or match donations.
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<div>Thank you for helping to create a more inclusive and welcoming Northampton.
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<div>In community,
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<div><a href="https://realnorthampton.com/about/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">REAL’s coordinating team</a>, in collaboration with several caring community members
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<div>P.S. Please reach out if you’re willing to…
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<li>Take a 16-/17-year-old learner out for one or more practice drives in your car*
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<li>Drive a 16-/17-year-old to and from the Greenfield RMV on the day of their road test, let them use your car for the test (note: your car must have an emergency hand brake for this test), and help them fill out the required paperwork as needed*
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<div>These are all confirmed needs among this group of young people!
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<div>*To volunteer in this capacity, you will need to verify that you have been <a href="https://www.mass.gov/how-to/request-cori-as-an-individual" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CORI checked</a> in accordance with MA law.
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Anonymous

Emma Kristjanson-Gural

Robin Harris

Kristen Whitmore

Kushya Sugarman

Amy Kulig

Ryann McChesney

Erica Tibbetts

Alison Hopkins

Diane Lederman

Karen A Stevens

Gwen Agna

Magdalena Zapedowska

Jenny B Bender

Katelyn Zak

REAL (Racial Equity And Learning)

License to Thrive: Aid for Local Immigrant Teens

License to Thrive: Aid for Local Immigrant Teens

Still $5,738 to go. Help us build momentum.