In the early summer of 2016, a handful of us southern Vermonters came together to learn about asylum seekers. We discovered that, unlike refugees fleeing war or economic migrants seeking better jobs, these are individuals forced to leave their homeland to escape anarchy, persecution, death threats. Each story is different: each story is filled with pain.
"Why else would these seekers abandon their homes, friends, communities, everything that they hold close? Men, women and children arrive at our country’s borders with nothing – hoping, praying for freedom and safety." Susie Peters – CASP volunteer.
But is America's tradition of welcoming those most in need still alive? Under current Department of Justice guidelines, asylum seekers without sponsors are often separated – men from women, mothers from children. They are imprisoned and made to endure a years-long, backlogged court process before asylum is granted – or denied.
Seeking some kind of justice, our small group of volunteers initiated the Community Asylum Seekers Project (CASP), a nonprofit organization chartered to free imprisoned US asylum seekers and support them until they can live independently. So far we have been able to shelter six seekers, providing for their physical, educational and legal needs.
Our efforts have attracted help from many others – immigration lawyers coming forward to represent CASP's guests, doctors and clinics volunteering support, and community and religious organizations stepping up to offer help and friendship.
Now we have a chance to do more. Additional folks in our larger community have volunteered to host asylum guests. But we need your help. We've learned that roughly $10,000 per year (plus the volunteer support of our local aid organizations) can sustain an individual or small family. We hope to have at least four to six more host homes in this next year ready to take in seekers. To make this work, we must raise $40,000 to $60,000. Will you help?
You can learn more about our organization and our work at www.caspvt.org. or contact us at CASP’s Executive Director Steve Crofter, 2128 Brockways Mills, Rockingham, VT 05143, 802-275-4646.
Please join us in this important work.
