Join UIDN & your neighbors for Giving Tuesday
The first $4,000 in Giving Tuesday gifts to the Ulster Immigrant Defense Network will be matched. Our generous match makers are your neighbors, Kathryn Adorney, Rose Burnett Bonczek, Mike Cleart, Ken Dreyfack, Jasmine Jordaan, Hudson Valley Real Estate Genies; and Kelly Storrs, Lowland Studio. And, remember, donations to UIDN are tax deductible.
December 2024: A photo and story about two Nicaraguan asylum seekers have been removed as we wait for developments.
The difference you can make
Workforce development projects are at the top of UIDN’s list for 2023. Your contributions will help us plan and implement programs that build skills and foster entrepreneurship. Here are some of this year’s accomplishments.
Winning political asylum. Carlos and his wife came home to death threats after participating in rallies and meetings. They knew the threats were not idle; El Salvador has a long history of dictators, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that as of 2018 at least 71,500 people had been displaced by violence. When a written warning was tacked to their door, the couple fled with their five-year-old. UIDN helped them win asylum. Carlos now works for the lawyer who handled their case.
Supporting trafficked teens. Four Nepalese youth who were used for labor and sex came to the U.S. through one of our allied groups. UIDN provided a security deposit and the first month’s rent on their apartment. They are now SUNY students.
Securing status for juveniles. A 16-year old was left fatherless after only one year in the U.S. Because he was orphaned, lawyers were able to show he was eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status. UIDN helped obtain needed documents from Guatemala and is providing ongoing help with legal fees. Now 21, the young man has met the first step toward gaining permanent residency.
Connecting children with family. Oliver travelled alone from Guatemala to Texas at the age of 13. He had been living with his grandmother as his mother had died and his father abandoned the family early on. UIDN arranged for him to join his uncle in Kingston. Now 17, Oliver is in school and UIDN is supporting his efforts to secure Special Immigrant Juvenile Status leading to permanent residency.
By the numbers since last Giving Tuesday
- 400 families received help with rent or utility bills, keeping them secure in their homes as rents rise, the amount of affordable housing falls, and homelessness increases.
- 39 people got assistance with legal fees and other costs along with referrals. (See stories on this page.)
- 18,000 grocery bags were distributed ensuring that some 600-700 families had enough nourishing food despite low wages, rising prices, and the ebb-and-flow of seasonal work.
- 260 individuals were provided with clothing, furniture, bicycles, and/or shopping carts.
- 350 people were provided with transportation to ICE check-ins and immigration court, medical appointments, meetings with lawyers, and the like.
Click to see a five-minute report on UIDN’s weekly market from Spectrum News 1. It features Filadelpho Mazariego and Kim Touchette, a UIDN board member who co-coordinates our Household Support Team. As Kim explains, UIDN serves about 160 families a week, up from 130 families at the start of 2022.
UIDN is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. Donations are deductible; UIDN’s tax ID is 85-0854210. To contribute now, use the button at the top of this page. Or, send a check — payable to UIDN — to c/o Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church, 30 Pine Grove Ave., Kingston, NY 12401. See our privacy policies here. We appreciate your support!