There are many ways to support the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network. Choose one that works for you.
Current campaign
Throughout August 2023, we are collecting school supplies, backpacks, and book bags. Get details here.
Stay current on issues & activities
Watch for campaigns, events, rallies, and more. Follow UIDN on Instagram and/or Facebook, and join our email list.
Ask your group to join UIDN
See our affiliates here. Interested community groups, religious congregations, and others, please email Father Frank Alagna.
Donate
UIDN is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. Donations are deductible; our tax ID is 85-0854210. Donate online here. Or, checks payable to UIDN may be sent to UIDN, c/o Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, 30 Pine Grove Ave., Kingston, NY 12401.
Volunteer
Below are two examples of volunteer opportunities. For more ways to help, download this two-page flyer describing opportunities or see the What We Do section of this website.
Ready to volunteer now? Email uidn@ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org or complete and submit this form; we will contact you about any orientation or training that may be needed. Sample volunteer opportunties:
- Household Support: donate needed supplies or volunteer to help package and distribute food and other items. Get details.
- Bilingual (Spanish<-->English) helpline volunteers. Must have access to a phone and computer. Minimum commitment: two hours per week for at least 10 weeks.
Learn more
A large proportion of immigrants in the Kingston area are Kekchi — indigenous Mayan people from rural Guatemala. Here are some books and movies if you’d like to know more about the country’s culture and history.
Books
UIDN’s case manager, Daniel Woodham, recommends:
- Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala by Stephen Schlesinger and Stephen Kinzer
- I, Rigoberta Menchu, autobiography of a rural organizer and human rights activist
- Men of Maize, a novel by Miguel Angel Asturias, a Nobel Prize winner
- Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano
- Popol Vuh, stories of Mayan culture. Sometimes called the Mayan bible, the original text is from the 16th century. Shown above is the cover for a 2020 retelling of published by Restless Books. It features a translation by Latin American scholar Ilan Stavans and gorgeous illustrations by Salvadoran folk artist Gabriela Larios. Mexican author, diplomat, and activist Homero Aridjis wrote the introduction.
Movies
Teaching Central America, a project of Teaching for Change, has an extensive list of films about Central American organized by country. Most listings include trailers or links for streaming. The list for Guatemala includes 10 movies for high school students and adults.