The Sanctuary Coalition Waldo County, Maine, is comprised of several organizations and individuals assisting vulnerable immigrant families. At this time, we are fundraising for a family in need in our region. The mother has just had emergency surgery creating even more stressors for this family.
In their own words, they are asking for your support:
As I'm sure everyone knows, the Hispanic community and other black and brown people here in Maine have been greatly impacted by the current ICE activities. Every day, multiple times a day, our own neighbors are disappearing.
Family members are left without their main family financial providers, wives without their husbands, children without their fathers or mothers.
Legal or not, unfortunately no one is "safe" anymore. People are being chosen based on our skin color and race, on our names.
For me and my family (my husband and young children), we don't go out anymore because of the fear and the risk. We are home bound. In order to stay safe we can not ever go out.
This doesn't mean simply staying home. This means we are unable to seek employment to provide for our family. It means we struggle to find people available to pick up our essential needs for our family as well as food.
It means doctor appointments get cancelled or rescheduled to a date we can't even decide because we don't know if this will ever end and having to choose whether an appointment is worth the risk of possibly being taken.
It means that we can no longer connect with our community and travel to work, shop, see family or friends. We are socially isolated. My children don’t get to interact with anyone else. Losing one of us to detainment is not an option. We have special needs children who need constant, experienced care.
It is always hard to ask for help especially when it comes to financial support, but in times like these I am grateful that this community doesn't make me feel ashamed, but comfortable knowing there are such loving people within our community.
If you are able to donate anything at all to help our family continue to stay safely at home in order to prevent the worst from happening we would greatly appreciate it. We love our community and we look forward to the day where we can connect with others again.
Donations will go towards:
• Medical bills, and, costs of an emergency surgery;
• Purchase commercial grade equipment for at home Food service income stream;
• Finish paying our lawyer for her help making sure we have all documents needed;
• Help us catch up on overdue bills, especially electricity and heating costs;
• Much needed clothing for our kids
• Purchasing a computer needed to help me keep my remote job
• Food costs
Thank you for considering!