New London Haitian families getting by for now with help from community donations
The bulk of the donations have gone to rent, paid directly to the landlords. The rest has gone to essential needs such as car insurance, a few car payments, telephone, Internet, and utilities.
In 2023, about 100 Haitian families settled in New London with humanitarian parole status for people living in impossible circumstances in their own country. Many went to work for the Tyson Food Plant before President Trump revoked their humanitarian parolee status in April when that was upheld in July, they lost their work permits. With no safe home to return to, many of the ones who have remained are seeking asylum and awaiting new work permits available to asylum seekers. In the meantime, the New London Immigrant Fund has been raising money to help these families survive day to day. Here is an update from one of the Fund's founders.
By Helene Pohl
With the government shutdown and the sheer unpredictability of the current administration, it is difficult to assess when our task will end. For instance, work permits are taking a long time to arrive: is the delay willful; is it due to the shutdown?
We would like to think that by January 2026, we will be able to end our commitment, and we will certainly update you.
Keeping our families housed has been our main preoccupation and rent has been our major fund dispersal item. Our Haitian neighbors are a proud lot and it is not easy for them to ask for assistance. Remember that they were doing well until July 8, the day of their massive lay-off per executive order. Since all of them have requested asylum, (this was our required condition to offer assistance), they are anxiously awaiting their work permits. USCIS requires all asylum seekers to wait 150 days before even applying for a work permit.
We are confident that soon, they will be doing much better again.
Haitian families making strides in the face of uncertainty
First, I want to stress how thankful I am to have a chance to work with people with such integrity, compassion, and willingness to problem-solve. All three of (my fellow Immigrant Fund leaders) have gone beyond my expectations of what it means to be on an oversight board. Not only have they solicited furniture, baby car seats, children and adult clothing, accompanied our crew to various charitable organizations and job sites, helped fill out official documents with USCIS, the State of Wisconsin, and Waupaca County, negotiated with insurance companies to avoid collection agencies, and even organized a baby shower; they have demonstrated that run- of- the-mill citizens care deeply about their immigrant neighbors and will resist gloom- and-doom, fear-mongering attitudes.
One couple had a beautiful baby boy at the end of July. Five adults had started in-person English Language classes in Appleton in late August; four had to drop out due to the shift work they managed to get for a couple of weeks, but at least they got their first taste at regular education in the United States. One adult, proud to have attained Level 4 in English Proficiency, is now a full-time student at the FVTC Oshkosh campus for construction management. Another adult keeps busy fixing everyone’s ailing cars. Two received a new work permit and were hired back at Tyson. One set of parents, sadly, still spends most of their time in Madison at the American Family Children’s Hospital attending to their adorable 3-year-old recovering from heart surgery on August 28. She has been disconnected from most of the tubes and is getting daily therapy although she is not talking yet.
Our crew, as we affectionately refer to our Haitian neighbors, has made terrific strides psychologically. The impact our donor community has had is immense. Our “crew” has been overwhelmed by people‘s kindness and generosity. One of them courageously spoke in their name at the Winchester Academy in mid-September to express their gratitude. We have witnessed how, over the course of three months, they have become more confident and trusting. Through our help and their own agency, they have been able to find part-time work here and there.
People have stepped up to help
Unfortunately, until they are able to get their 5-year work permit, their working remains spotty and does not allow them to be self-sufficient. We continue to offer financial assistance where absolutely needed and when individuals no longer have valid working permits. We will also need, in the upcoming months, to gather some financial support in order to pay the $550 USCIS work permit fee, required ever since the budget reconciliation (or so-called One Big Beautiful) bill was passed. Until then, qualified immigrants had received a free work permit. As working is a priority and a necessity for self-sufficiency, our IRF board is now offering to lend New London immigrants the necessary $550 to be repaid in three installments after their first full month of work.
Simply to give you an idea of the breadth and depth of the generous contributions we have received, here is a snapshot: There have been 105 financial contributions from 93 individuals (15 repeats) from France, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin totaling $27,248. Twenty-seven people have donated in kind (beds mattresses, sheets, quilts, tables, lamps, blender, diapers, blankets, tools, and clothing), provided well-compensated field work, paid to move furniture (including a piano), and provided favorable press coverage and pro bono legal assistance.
Donations since July 8 have gone to 16 heads of households with a total of 26 people.
The bulk of the donations went to rent, paid directly to the landlords. The rest went to essential needs such as car insurance, a few car payments, telephone, Internet, and utilities. We have $3,596 left in our treasury.
Still, we cannot minimize the challenges our friends face. Daily life in Haiti remains fraught with insecurity and serious dangers, particularly in Port-au-Prince. We are unable to help the families our “crew” have left behind, but we know that their scary situation weighs heavily on their minds.
Without having had a chance to meet our New London newcomer friends, you opened your hearts and wallets and gave them a hand to lift them out of an extremely precarious situation. Undoubtedly, you are able to imagine how difficult it is to sustain hope in the face of much uncertainty.
In the hope that you continue to do well and will consider donating again, here our instructions for contributions:
Community First Credit Union members can make a direct deposit at CFCU. Email Jane at newlondon.irf@gmail.com for how to do so. Let us know if you wish to remain anonymous.
