“Vendor Donations”

via GoFundMe

“Dear PoPville,

This is a group of affected people that are overlooked – both by the government (due to their immigration status they are not eligible for the stipend) and by everyday people (such as myself). This was a group of folks I didn’t even think about, much less about how negatively impacted they are by the pandemic. I think this would be a great fundraiser to share if possible.”

From GoFundMe:

“NOTE: This fundraiser is a joint effort of Sanctuary DMV and the partner organizations listed below.

Immigrants and their families across the country are being left out of urgently needed COVID-19 relief.

As part of the $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package, many families will receive checks from the U.S. government. Cruelly, many of our neighbors will be left out of this critically important relief simply because of their immigration status. Even documented immigrants are excluded from receiving relief, if they lack a Social Security number. With your help, we will begin to reverse this discriminatory and xenophobic choice and get much-needed money into the hands of immigrant communities – who are already among the hardest hit by the economic impacts of social distancing and other prudent practices.

The need is massive and urgent. So we’re asking those who can to contribute their entire stimulus check to immigrants in the DMV who were purposefully left out of the government’s response to COVID-19. We also encourage people who earned above the threshold for receiving stimulus checks to contribute in a similarly meaningful way (around $1,200). These donations will go directly to the pockets of our immigrant neighbors to support them in the face of new and already existing challenges.

If you are not in a position to donate your entire check, smaller donations are more than welcome! Every donation helps.

COVID-19 does not discriminate based on immigration status. The very real concerns faced by many amidst this crisis — how to pay for rent and food, where to find work, how to take care of our families — are magnified for immigrants, yet they are completely excluded from any federal government support.

Join us as we continue to pull together in solidarity with our neighbors. Sanctuary DMV, Many Languages One Voice, LaColectiVA, Justice for Muslims Collective, and Restaurant Opportunities Center DC are partnering to directly distribute contributions among immigrants in the DMV. Sanctuary DMV will also manage a portion of funds that will be directed to individuals and households who are members of the local chapter of the UndocuBlack Network, which supports currently and formerly undocumented Black immigrants.

These groups are engaged in organizing and advocacy efforts to change the policies and systems that discriminate against, criminalize, and do violence to our immigrant neighbors — as well as essential direct service and mutual aid.

Each participating organization will manage an even share of the funds, 100% of which will be redistributed, as direct cash payments, to immigrants and families in need of support.

FUNDRAISER INFO (required by GoFundMe, apologies for any repetition of information already provided above): The organizer is a resident of Washington, DC and a member of Sanctuary DMV, a volunteer organization that – along with all the partner groups MLOV, La ColectiVA, JMC, ROC-DC – works directly with immigrants in the DC metropolitan area. Each organization will receive and/or manage an equal share of the funds raised (either via a direct transfer from the organizer’s bank account, a check, or cash transfer, depending on each organization’s preference) and will distribute them as direct payments (either in cash or as prepaid gift cards, again depending on the specific circumstances) to immigrants they are in community with.”