Fundraiser for
Annapolis Immigration Justice Network
On Sunday, Dec. 11, knitted items – scarves, hats, fingerless mitts, etc. will be offered for sale along with jewelry, greeting cards, and gift tags. Members of the UUCA Fiber Arts Fellowship and representatives of Annapolis Immigration Justice Network (AIJN) will be on hand an hour before and after the service to assist in your selection.
100% of the proceeds go to AIJN, specifically to bring three children from El Salvador to the U.S. to be reunited with their mothers in the Annapolis area. The moms were granted asylum several years ago but have waited several years for the U.S. Government to approve their petitions to bring their children here. It is expected that the U.S. Government will approve the petitions very soon. Questions? Contact Stephanie Anderson, sjacape@gmail.com.
Suzanne Martin Girl Who Won Her Case
Brief History
AIJN was founded in 2017 by Suzanne Martin, now the Executive Director, with the participation and support of several local churches, UUCA among them. Non-profit status was granted in 2019. AIJN’s mission supports unaccompanied and separated children, families fleeing violence, and other Anne Arundel immigrants to immigration legal counsel and related support services. AIJN’s Legal Fund provides financial aid toward the legal fees for clients to retain attorneys. Their case management team provides wrap-around case management support and provides transportation for clients to travel to court proceedings, check-ins with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), and other legal related appointments.
Progress.
What began as a little-known all-volunteer organization has now become well-known in the immigrant support community. AIJN now has a full-time Executive Director and a full-time case manager as well as continued volunteer support.
Since inception, AIJN has provided legal services to almost six hundred clients, providing three hundred fifty legal consultations and financial assistance to over two hundred people including children. AIJN’s youngest client is a two-year-old toddler who was eligible for asylum and needed financial assistance to hire an attorney for his case. 96% of AIJN’s cases have received favorable decisions in courts or through USCIS to remain in the U.S. As the need continues, the number of new clients continues to increase.
Fundraising Event
The proceeds from Sunday’s sales will be used to unite two families by providing airfare transportation for three children from El Salvador. The mothers and older siblings are here and have been granted asylum. Three of the younger children were left with relatives four years ago when the mothers fled the country with their older children. In one case, the mother fled after her husband was brutally murdered. These children were included in their mothers’ asylum applications and so they are legally eligible to join them. After waiting three years, the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador is in the final stages of approving the children to come and be reunited with their mothers.
Volunteer Opportunities – We could use additional volunteers on our fundraising/development committee, communications committee (web development) and bilingual volunteers who are interested in providing transportation on a limited basis to our clients.
Contact Information – Suzanne Martin – suzanne.martin@aijnetwork.org.
Closing
Join us in the library after the service on Dec 11th to meet Suzanne and join others to learn more about the work of AIJN.
Donate (With URL) – www.aijnetwork.org or mail a check to: AIJN, 1125 West Street, Suite 227, Annapolis, MD 21401