Voices From the Border’s (VFB) work has changed and expanded due to the growing resident population of migrants in Nogales, Sonora. At this time, there are thousands of asylum seekers stuck, waiting to request asylum, along the Mexican/US border. They cannot return home to the violence and extortion they fled and now they cannot move forward either, as they await pandemic and border closure changes. VFB continues to support and give aid to many of those currently waiting in Nogales, Sonora, and is planning a Christmas project for them.
Last year about 150 backpacks were donated, and local friends of VFB filled them with donated clothes, toiletries, art supplies, and much more. VFB took the backpacks across the line and distributed them to people in the shelters.
Now, however, because of the pandemic, no volunteers are allowed in shelters. This year, VFB will focus on the families that the organization has established relationships with these past many months, many of whom we continue to help support, especially those families with children. VFB plans to order heaters online, to be delivered to the families’ apartments. With the help of new donations, they will also provide the families with food, warm clothing and educational toys and art supplies for the little ones. They plan to make Christmas purchases in Nogales, Sonora and Arizona and then to distribute gift baskets to the families.
VFB is only taking donations of money at this time. To donate, make checks payable to ‘Voices from the Border’ and mail them to: Voices from the Border, c/o Linda Hirsch, PO Box 7, Patagonia, AZ 85624. If you want to donate specifically to the Christmas project, write ‘Christmas’ in the check’s memo line. Any amount will help make the migrants’ Christmas a little brighter.