Lynn Rapid Response Network
Donation protected
Support local families in MA separated by this administration’s immigration enforcement policies!
The stories and images of families separated at the southern US border in recent weeks have been horrifying. This administration’s approach to immigration enforcement policies is also causing many families in our local communities to be separated by detention or deportation, or to be put at high risk of separation. In response to this growing crisis, the Lynn Rapid Response Network formed in Lynn, MA to coordinate services for local families impacted by detention and deportation. We are launching an emergency fund to also provide urgent financial assistance to families in the community, and turning to our friends and family to help us get started. Please read below for more information and share widely. Any and every amount you give is deeply appreciated! Thank you!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Description:
The Lynn Rapid Response Network is an all-volunteer organization formed 18 months ago to support immigrant communities in MA affected by this administration’s immigration enforcement policies. We represent over 30 local non-profit organizations with the capacity to connect people to a broad array of critical services, like mental health services, connections for adult education/job training, legal support, health care, and much more. We have also offered several legal clinics and professional trainings for the community.
The majority of our efforts have been focused on fielding urgent referrals for people who are separated by detention or deportation, or at high risk of separation. When a family is separated, it is often either the breadwinner or the primary childcare provider who is detained or deported. In their absence, the family often spirals into financial crisis, leading to housing instability and food scarcity. There can also be high financial barriers for families to be able to reunite. These families already often don't qualify for federal assistance and most emergency financial assistance in the area has strings attached and isn't available to undocumented people.
We recently contracted with a local fiscal sponsor so that we could raise an emergency fund to support families in crisis. We received an initial $4,000 gift to launch the fund. So far, we’ve been distributing those funds to families in need, with an average grant of about $500. With so many families being separated by deportation or detention, those dollars have been going quickly. It is likely that the number of families in need will only continue to grow.
Our network is good at a lot of things, but we have struggled to find the bandwidth to raise more local funding for the need we have. We have been so encouraged by the recent outpouring of support for families separated at the southern U.S. border. We know that people like us who are outraged by this administration’s inhumane policies towards immigrants are also looking for ways to help families here in our local community, which is why we launched this fundraising campaign.
Our goal is to raise an initial $30,000 to maintain this emergency fund, which we estimate will allow us to support 60 local families affected by separation over the next three months. This initial fundraising campaign will help us get more cash on hand quickly so that we can respond now to the urgent needs that families are bringing to us. We also plan to learn things along the way that will help position us to raise a larger fund to support more families over time.
Every dollar you give will go directly to local families in need of your support, so every dollar counts. For so many months now, a lot of us in this work every day have felt really alone. Coming together as a Network and finding others who are willing to give what they can to help our work has made us all feel like things are shifting and that something big is on the horizon. Whether you can give $5 or $5,000, your support means so much to all of us and to the families we are working to help.
Please note that contributions to this fund can also be made by check. Checks should be made out and mailed to Family & Children’s Service of Lynn at 111 N Common St, Lynn, MA 01902. Please write “Lynn Rapid Response Network” or “LRRN” on the memo line to ensure your gift makes it to this fund.
The stories and images of families separated at the southern US border in recent weeks have been horrifying. This administration’s approach to immigration enforcement policies is also causing many families in our local communities to be separated by detention or deportation, or to be put at high risk of separation. In response to this growing crisis, the Lynn Rapid Response Network formed in Lynn, MA to coordinate services for local families impacted by detention and deportation. We are launching an emergency fund to also provide urgent financial assistance to families in the community, and turning to our friends and family to help us get started. Please read below for more information and share widely. Any and every amount you give is deeply appreciated! Thank you!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Description:
The Lynn Rapid Response Network is an all-volunteer organization formed 18 months ago to support immigrant communities in MA affected by this administration’s immigration enforcement policies. We represent over 30 local non-profit organizations with the capacity to connect people to a broad array of critical services, like mental health services, connections for adult education/job training, legal support, health care, and much more. We have also offered several legal clinics and professional trainings for the community.
The majority of our efforts have been focused on fielding urgent referrals for people who are separated by detention or deportation, or at high risk of separation. When a family is separated, it is often either the breadwinner or the primary childcare provider who is detained or deported. In their absence, the family often spirals into financial crisis, leading to housing instability and food scarcity. There can also be high financial barriers for families to be able to reunite. These families already often don't qualify for federal assistance and most emergency financial assistance in the area has strings attached and isn't available to undocumented people.
We recently contracted with a local fiscal sponsor so that we could raise an emergency fund to support families in crisis. We received an initial $4,000 gift to launch the fund. So far, we’ve been distributing those funds to families in need, with an average grant of about $500. With so many families being separated by deportation or detention, those dollars have been going quickly. It is likely that the number of families in need will only continue to grow.
Our network is good at a lot of things, but we have struggled to find the bandwidth to raise more local funding for the need we have. We have been so encouraged by the recent outpouring of support for families separated at the southern U.S. border. We know that people like us who are outraged by this administration’s inhumane policies towards immigrants are also looking for ways to help families here in our local community, which is why we launched this fundraising campaign.
Our goal is to raise an initial $30,000 to maintain this emergency fund, which we estimate will allow us to support 60 local families affected by separation over the next three months. This initial fundraising campaign will help us get more cash on hand quickly so that we can respond now to the urgent needs that families are bringing to us. We also plan to learn things along the way that will help position us to raise a larger fund to support more families over time.
Every dollar you give will go directly to local families in need of your support, so every dollar counts. For so many months now, a lot of us in this work every day have felt really alone. Coming together as a Network and finding others who are willing to give what they can to help our work has made us all feel like things are shifting and that something big is on the horizon. Whether you can give $5 or $5,000, your support means so much to all of us and to the families we are working to help.
Please note that contributions to this fund can also be made by check. Checks should be made out and mailed to Family & Children’s Service of Lynn at 111 N Common St, Lynn, MA 01902. Please write “Lynn Rapid Response Network” or “LRRN” on the memo line to ensure your gift makes it to this fund.
Fundraising team: LRRN (2)
Chloe Frankel
Organizer
Lynn, MA
Virginia Leigh
Beneficiary
Bridget Miller
Team member
