Neislymar Gonzalez’s 2 children, a daughter 5 years old and a son 4 years old, at the Central District police station in Chicago.
Natalie Garcia/For the Sun-Times
Newly arrived immigrants in Chicago are in need of basic necessities, the city says.
More than 8,000 immigrants have arrived to Chicago since August of last year as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shows no signs of stopping the practice of busing asylum seekers from the border state to other cities — despite pleas from Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to stop the “inhumane” and “dangerous” practice.
The influx of immigrants has left resources exhausted and shelter limited in Chicago, causing some of the recently arrived immigrants to sleep on the floors of police stations in recent weeks.
Bed bugs, chicken pox and boxes of expired meals have been reported at the stations where immigrants have been living, sources told the Sun-Times.
Here’s how community members can help the recently-arrived immigrants:
- Purchase items off Instituto del Progreso Latino’s Amazon wishlist: The city has partnered with Instituto del Progreso Latino to create an Amazon wishlist of items asylum-seekers are in need of. The list can be found here. New arrivals are especially in need of socks, underwear for adults and athletic pants for adults, according to a press release from Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
- Donate to Park Community Church and Refugee Community Connection’s free store: The store, called “Nuevos Vecinos,” or “New Neighbors,” helps to clothe recently-arrived immigrants. According to the group’s website, they help clothe 100-200 asylum seekers every week. Donate here.
- Donate new and gently used items at 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez’s office: Vasquez emailed 40th Ward residents, encouraging them to donate blankets, rolling suitcases, sleeping pads and bags, menstrual pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, kids toys, juice boxes, children’s fever reducers and other medicine, compostable plates and utensils, yoga mats and pre-paid gift cards. His office at 5620 N. Western Ave. will accept donations Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the email states. Vasquez also called for volunteers to register to help out.
- Donate to Organized Communities Against Deportation’s fundraising campaign: OCAD, a Chicago-area nonprofit that opposes deportations and the criminalization of immigrants, is calling for donations to reach its $10,000 monthly goal. Natalie Casal Alcaíno, a spokesperson for OCAD, said those donations will be used to provide cash contributions of $300 each to families and individuals in need.
33rd Ward Ald. Rossana Rodriguez shared this resource in a tweet that also promoted the Albany Park Mutual Aid’s Support Asylum Seekers Fund and listed multiple offices accepting medical, hygienic, food and educational donations.
Our organizing efforts keep going and we want your help. Here’s some information on how to help and a link that will take you to alt text. Also today from 4-6pm you can drop off donations at Christ Lutheran Church on Spaulding and Wilson Ave. https://t.co/XWzOQp3bsO pic.twitter.com/bHqttBwySq
— Ald. Rossana Rodriguez 🌹🇵🇷✊🏽🏳️🌈 (@RossanaFor33) May 4, 2023
- Donate to Albany Park Mutual Aid’s Support Asylum Seekers Fund: These funds will go toward providing care kits to migrants in the 17th police district, according to the organization’s fundraising page.
- Donate items to Erie Neighborhood House: This social services nonprofit is seeking donations of clothing and hygienic products. All items must be new and can be dropped off at one of three Erie House locations: 1347 W Erie St., 1701 W. Superior St. and 4225 W 25th St. The full list of items can be found here.
from Chicago Sun-Times - All https://ift.tt/pdJGPcS
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