All:
I am horrified by what is happening in Minnesota. One day ago, ICE agents broke into a home and forcibly removed a US Citizen from his bed. If you are not outraged by this fact, you should be.
The resourceful and resilient people of Minnesota are resisting the weaponization of the US Immigration Service. They are working together to help and support one another regardless of skin color and ethnicity. They are resisting the overreach by our government.
The temperature may reach a high of 18 degrees there this week. And yet Minnesotans are out there protecting their neighbors and our democracy. I support their efforts and admire their strength.
I donated to several organizations which are supporting the people of Minnesota during this trying time. I wanted to share with you what I have learned. My first round of donations will go to large organizations which are recognized as nonprofits and can be researched on charity finder. I intend to do further research into the grass roots nonprofits which have been very successful.
Here is the list of non profits which I found on the reddit page for Minnesota.
Immigrant support
- Immigrant Defense Network – coalition of 90+ groups organizing rapid response and collecting evidence.
- Immigrant Law Center of MN – free immigration legal representation to low-income immigrants and refugees.
- COPAL – advocacy, organizing, phone hotline. Focus on Latine community.
- Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) – education and protest organizing.
- Interfaith Coalition on Immigration – advocacy, aid, events.
- Monarca MN – training and phone hotline.
- Unidos MN – education, protests, advocacy.
- Center for Victims of Torture – advocacy and mental health services for immigrants and refugees.
- International Institute of Minnesota – refugee resettlement group that provides support and legal help to vulnerable new-to-country families.
- Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – offers services to refugees, including legal aid to non-citizens.
Food support
⚠️ The Trump administration has suspended federal funding for food stamps in MN. Some of the following orgs take food donations, though donating money tends to be the most flexible and allows them to purchase food with bulk discounts.
- VEAP
- Second Harvest Heartland
- Every Meal
- The Food Group
- Meals on Wheels MN
- Find a local food shelf
- Search for a GoFundMe that is supporting people in your neighborhood
Mutual aid funds & community support
- Community Aid Network
- Twin Cities Trans Mutual Aid
- Leo’s Tow (Venmo @leostowingmn) is towing cars back to families if a car is stranded when someone is detained.
I donated to the Second Harvest Heartland and VEAP as they are long time reputable organizations. I also donated to the Immigrant Defense Network and the Center for Victims of Torture. The Center for Victims of Torture is not a local organization. That said, many migrants who come to the US in search of asylum have experienced torture and providing support for these people feels important to me right now.
Listen to the NYTimes Daily Podcast, if you can today, it covered a grassroots group organization to bring people food and diapers etc.
As American citizens, we need to not just be horrified. We need to ACT!
Thank you,