Immigrant Solidarity Team

The Immigrant Solidarity Team is concerned with helping immigrants and refugees to adjust to life in the United States. We work with local organizations to achieve this goal, including the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) and RefugeeOne. We also engage in legislative advocacy and learning opportunities for the congregation. The IST welcomes all who are interested in working to build a better world for immigrants in the United States. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of the month at 4:00pm. At present we are meeting on ZOOM. Contact Maggie Wilson or Michelle Novak through REALM or at admin@ucevanston.org.

The Immigrant Solidarity Team (IST) works to establish and nurture long-term partnerships with local immigrant communities and organizations. UCE seeks to:

Provide appropriate resources for their unmet needs,
Be a useful connector among organizations, and
Educate and mobilize UCE members about immigration related events, projects and actions.

The IST has recently expanded its work to include the support of refugees as well. Here are some of our most recent projects:

In the summer of 2021 the IST encouraged UCE members to donate backpacks and gym shoes for refugee children by partnering with Refugee One.
In the fall of 2021 we sponsored a film viewing and discussion of La Bestia, a film about the dangers refugees face trying to travel from southern Mexico to the US border.
In the fall of 2021 and winter of 2022 our refugee team has raised over $10,000 to help a Syrian refugee family pay their rent. Some of the rent money was funded from the UCE Endowment.
In the winter of 2022 we have also begun to help out a family from Afghanistan as well.
Prior to the pandemic, members assisted with voter registration after citizenship swearing-in ceremonies in Chicago

Updates from Immigrant Solidarity Team

Please Help Asylum Seekers in Chicago

Looking for a simple way to support the thousands of immigrants who have recently arrived (many on busses from border cities) in the Chicago area seeking asylum?

The Immigrant Solidarity Team of the Unitarian Church of Evanston is partnering with a local adhoc group of volunteers to help asylum seekers currently living in police stations, schools, park district buildings, colleges and other public buildings around Chicago.

From June 5-26 we are collecting:

● Thick Yoga Mats or Sleeping Pads

● Sleeping Bags and Clean Blankets

● New Socks and Underwear all sizes

● Back packs and small suitcases

● OTC Cold Medicine (adults and kids)

● Lice Treatment Kits

Drop Off at UCE

Dates: June 5-26 Monday-Friday during office hours 10:30-4:30

Sunday immediately before or after the 10:30 service. Please contact Michelle Novak through the Realm or theUCE office or comment and DM me on messenger if you have questions or need pickup or drop off arrangements.

Thank you in advance for your support!

June 7th, 2023|Categories: Immigrant Solidarity|

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