Well, most of us have been stuck at home for a long time now (we cannot say thank you enough to those of you who are still going out into the world to help the rest of us stay safe and have the things we need.) We have zoomed meetings, binge-watched Netflix, gone on walks, home-schooled our children, grieved the loss of the way things used to be, and found countless other ways of dealing with our new reality.
Some of us feel the need to do more.
Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center is our designated Charitable Giving recipient for May. (For now, we’re observing the choices voted on last year.) This is appropriate, for the clients KIAC serves are among the most marginalized in our community now. KIAC clients can’t get unemployment insurance; they won’t be getting the $1200 relief checks. And many face hunger and homelessness.
We have the opportunity to help these folks, our neighbors, in several ways:
Contribute through our weekly offering to KIAC’s COVID Emergency Fund, focused on preventing homelessness and hunger.
We can sew masks. There are several among us who have already sewn multiple masks for ourselves and our friends. Many of KIAC’s families don’t have them. KIAC would like to get about 100 total (and they’re also reaching out to other faith communities.) If you are willing to sew masks, or have cotton fabric, bias tape, or elastic to donate, please contact me at linezj@wavecable.com, and I will arrange for pickup and delivery. My home phone is 360-204-5587. By the way, this can be a wonderful project for parents and children to work on together.
We can make disinfectant. Last month, our Social Justice Committee purchased two gallons of bleach, when no other disinfecting supplies were available. That bleach needs to be mixed 1:10 with water in plastic spray bottles, to be given by KIAC to families. The social justice committee has committed to giving KIAC $50 each month for necessities; this money will be used to purchase plastic spray bottles. We could really use a lead person for this project, which would not be very time-consuming. If you’re interested, please call or email me at 360-204-5587 or linezj@wavecable.com
We can volunteer to pair with a KIAC family, to read books or do homework with children via zoom, or to help clients practice English. All students in the Bremerton School District have tablets, so this is work that can be done remotely. If this is a job that appeals to you, please send me your name and I will arrange for someone at KIAC to contact you.
I am so proud of the social justice work that KUUF has done and is doing in our greater community. Please consider giving your time and/or your money, if possible, to help some of our most vulnerable neighbors.
Lisa Johnson, Board of Trustee