The holidays can be extremely difficult for those who are spending them in immigration detention centers. UULMNJ wants to help. Our Immigration Task Force has found a way, by participating in First Friend”s “Stamp Out Despair” program.
First Friends is an organization of volunteers who visit people detained at the Elizabeth Detention Center (EDC), Bergen County Jail, Hudson County Correctional Facility and Delaney Detention Center. Many detainees know no one in the United States, so a First Friends visitor may be their only link to the outside.
“Stamp Out Despair” provides detainees with gifts of writing materials, stamps, envelopes and cards to help them stay in contact with family and friends and to let them know there are people in the U.S. who care about their plight. Here’s How it Works:
Collect the following into a packet:
• Blank 2-pocket folder
• 20 First class “Forever Stamps”
• 10 Global “Forever Stamps
• 20 sheets of white writing paper
• 15 sheets of colored writing paper
• 15 sheets of small writing paper
• 5 blank greeting cards
• phone card donation
First Friends also needs notes of encouragement addressed “Dear Friend,” that will be given to 300 detainees at the Elizabeth detention center. It is in the spirit of holidays that we are bringing hope with paper. Any monetary donations would allow First Friends to provide phone cards services to detainees so that they can call their loved ones this holiday season.
First Friends would like to have these items by Dec. 15. Specific instructions for assembly and delivery are on the flyer [tt_vector icon=”fa-file-pdf-o”].
Please consider involving your congregation in this worthwhile project. It is the least we can do for detainees who are so often forgotten. If you have any questions, please contact Ted Fetter, Immigration Task Force Chair or our Executive Director.
Thank you for your help and your heart!!