by Brian Dugas

Meeting of the Community Justice Alliance, tomorrow, 9/29 at 5:30, Maffei Commons Room, King’s College, next to the Chapel up the hill from the Luzerne County Courthouse.

VIISTA certification course, Villanova University. There are many reasons for immigration: warfare, poverty, government collapse, climate change, economic reasons and many more. We have also learned about the ineffective and inept immigration policies in this country. We need an immigration system that recognizes the value and diversity that immigrants bring to this country and provides an effective path to citizenship. That is not what we currently have. The immigrant community is under attack and has asked for our support.

Legal Support
Challenges are great. There is no legal support for immigrants in Wilkes Barre. Hazleton and Scranton are more organized and have access to pro bono Immigration lawyers. Our goal will be to develop the legal network we need in WB or sharing resources with Hazleton and Scranton. VIISTA participation -Fundraising Fidelity Bank.

Other Support
Services and assistance that can be provided by people who do not have partial accreditation. Provide support such as transportation, interpretation, assistance with social services, moral support and friendship.
UUA  https://www.uua.org/loveresists/accompaniment

Love Resists through radical presence and support of local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ​and court accompaniment programs.

Accompaniment programs can make a real difference in our immigration and criminal justice systems. Accompaniment helps stop deportations, reduce bond fees, and keep families together. By centering people’s dignity and choices in a system that takes away dignity and choices, we care for those who are criminalized for their being.

More and more congregations are looking for ways to do this effectively; to resist the current administration’s racist actions and to stop unnecessary deportations. ICE and court accompaniment programs enable supporters to journey alongside people fighting for their own freedom and dignity, and hold the system accountable. In our immigration and criminal justice systems that often results in unjust outcomes, accompaniment programs can make a real difference.

Protection of Rights
ICE operations in NEPA monitor activity, call the hotline, response from a trained investigator.  Hotline, Training, Response.

by Lindsay Riddell

Misericordia University celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program last weekend.

Since its founding in 2000, the Women with Children Program has provided free housing and an array of supportive services to economically disadvantaged single mothers and their children, enabling them to pursue their college degrees. One of only eight programs of its kind in the nation, it has served hundreds of families and continues to be a state and nationally recognized two-generation model for access and opportunity in higher education. Through the gift of free housing, financial assistance, access to quality child care and an array of social, academic and family enrichment programming, Women with Children provides a comprehensive response to the needs of families.

Mothers receive support through individual goal planning, academic support and tutoring, career services, on-campus counseling, parenting and informational workshops. Mothers are given priority placement for on-campus work study opportunities and assistance with internship placements. Children are offered the opportunity to pursue extracurricular activities including sports camps, summer camps, swimming lessons, a children’s garden and library and involvement in the Kids on Campus program during the school year. Mothers are assisted in securing childcare by providing information and case management services on state certified day care centers and eligibility requirements for childcare subsidies. The University also offers a 40% subsidy for child care to eligible families.

Katherine Pohlidal, Director of the Program said “This anniversary reminds us that access to education can change the trajectory not only of individual lives, but the lives of entire families. And we now know the positive generational impact our program creates as we see the children of our student mothers achieve college degrees themselves.”

Research has shown that the pathway out of poverty is through affordable housing and education, both which are provided by this program.

For more information or to make a donation to support the Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program, please visit, www.misericordia.edu/wwc.

by Matt Thornburg

The legal system in America is not a friendly place for children. The defects of its institutions are well-documented (1) those with wealth can often effectively buy a chosen verdict and (2) systemic inequalities disproportionately benefit and hurt certain races, sexes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and ethnicities--just to name a couple. Children are sadly often affected by these same inequalities but face additional barriers--the legal system is steeped in language and rituals that are difficult for adults to understand let alone children; and kids just aren't always able to articulate their perspective, needs, and feelings just yet. In Luzerne and Wyoming counties, approximately 500 children reside in the foster care system, victims of abuse and/or neglect. Because of an overburdened and under resourced support system and the challenges court presents to young people,  children swept into this pipeline experience tremendous disruption in their lives.

One solution is the Court Appointed Special Advocate or CASA system. This system uses adult volunteers in the community who are trained to work with children in the foster care system who experience abuse or neglect. CASAs effectively serve as the voice for these children--speaking the language of the court system and leveraging their training in the best interests of the child. CASA of Wyoming Valley is a 501(c)3 that I believe our congregation has support before. I have gone back and forth on whether to get involved and finally reached out to begin training. If you're interested, CASA of Wyoming Valley is easily located online and very responsive to prospective volunteers. In a day and age where it seems our whole society is fraying, helping the most vulnerable in our community is a good first step.

by Brian Dugas 

I was recently contacted by Lizz Parsons who is with the organization called CADBI, The Coalition to Abolish Death by Incarceration (CADBI) . Their organization is planning a state wide caravan that will start in Pittsburgh and pass through the Wilkes Barre area.

On Wednesday, September 24th at 6:00PM they will be using our church as their meeting place on their caravan, and they hope to draw people from around the region for a discussion and viewing the short documentary of The Man Who Came Home which traces the story of a young Puerto Rican immigrant, Francisco Mojica, finding his way on the streets of Kensington, through three decades in prison, to a devout family man caring for his wife as they age. Mojica’s story captures the cruelty of DBI sentences and highlights the human cost of mass incarceration.

Attendees will meet leaders of the movement to end DBI, engage in discussion about the issue, and learn how to get involved in our movement. When you become a part of our movement you access the knowledge of our collective experiences, resources and emotional support.

Feel free to call Lizz at 570-417-1126 with questions about the event. Attendees are invited to bring a photo or object for the altar of remembrance, honoring those lost to violence.

And since we have mentioned immigration, I want to remind you of the Peace and Justice Centers Annual Gathering/Awards Luncheon on Sunday, September, 21st at 2:00PM at the Apple Tree Terrace, Newberry Estates in Dallas. This year we will be honoring some of the unsung heroes from the Latino population of Wilkes Barre who work behind the scenes to help others in need. Father Fidel from St. Nicks/St Mary’s Parish will be recognized for his unwavering support of the Latino community.

If you would like any additional information on either of these events please speak to me (or Lizz if she is here). Information can be found in the announcements and on the Facebook page, which you should join if you are able.