Dear Friend,

Last year, more than 137,000 immigrant children traveling alone or separated from family arrived at the U.S. border, including higher numbers of young children and girls than we’ve ever seen. For many, release to a family member happens within 30 days. But for the most vulnerable children and families, reunification can take months, even years. For these families, Young Center advocates are critical allies.

Families with Young Center advocates get help reuniting after long separations, accessing support services, and pursuing their asylum cases. In the long run, that means more immigrant children find safe places to land.

During this National Immigrant Heritage Month, we want to shine a spotlight on families as our three programs work to promote family unity. Your support helps us reunite children with family members such as:

Magdalena, who was separated from her 9-year-old daughter for six years after they fled Guatemala and just wanted to say to a judge, “A mother and a daughter deserve to be together”;
Oscar*, a Honduran father reunited with his 5-year-old son Roger, after Young Center staff helped convince a state child welfare agency to support their reunification;
Guadeloupe, a grandmother who doesn’t speak English and is seeking custody of Samuel, her orphaned 3-year-old grandson, after Samuel’s placement with a foster family who has stated they want to adopt him and will cut off all contact with his grandmother.

Our Young Center community keeps families together. United in support of this urgent work, we can fight to ensure children are entrusted to family members who speak their language, know their culture, and respect their religion. Together, we can keep families together and strong.

We work directly with immigrant children at the Young Center, but we fight for the whole family. Mothers, fathers, abuelas y abuelos, aunties and uncles. Because every child should have the right to family integrity.

Donate today to keep immigrant children and their families together and DOUBLE YOUR GIFT! The first $25,000 in donations will be matched by members of the Young Center’s Board of Directors and anonymous benefactors.