Kino Border Initiative

Have you ever witnessed a desperate mother, helpless to soothe her crying, hungry baby? 
There is a crisis at the border that I have seen with my own eyes.  A crisis that we can do something about.  Yes, you have read the newspapers and are probably tired of hearing about this issue.  But I have spent time in one tiny little pocket on the border, and there IS something we can do to make a difference. 
I am asking you today to donate to Kino Border Initiative, located in Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.  They perform necessary, essential work, providing for the growing number of people who have been deported to Nogales, separated from their children, from their spouses, people experiencing abuses in the desert or the streets of Nogales, many lost, disoriented, and starving.  KBI gives them food, clothing, some monetary assistance, and as much shelter as they can muster for the women and children at Nazareth House, all the while reminding them that they matter.

I am asking for donations today because I have worked alongside KBI as a volunteer recently for over a month, and know they desperately need money for food. Local volunteers are reliable and enthusiastic. Groups such as the Samaritans and No More Deaths (to name but a couple) generously donate their time, clothing, medical supplies, and food but the amount of food they go through in a day is staggering: 70 kilos of tortillas, 50 kilos of rice and 50 kilos of beans and the food still runs out because so many people keep coming. KBI volunteers keep diving into the refrigerator until everyone is fed.

I plan on going back there next year, to volunteer. It is the least I can do to reach out to you and ask for any assistance you can offer to help this dedicated Mission. Yes it was lonely, scary and exhausting but I have never felt so happy and alive as when I was speaking to a mother or brother, holding a baby, playing with the children, and most of all, listen to these folks tell me over and over again how much they appreciate what we are doing for them, and they would not have made it this far without us. The nuns, priests, and volunteers I interacted with every day have given their lives to this endeavor - I salute them and feel honored and privileged to have been allowed to work next to them.

This organization is wonderful because they do so much with so little. The staff is very lean, and they rely only on volunteers to help them. No volunteer gets paid. It is not a large bureaucracy, and every dollar goes to the displaced families needs. It was an honor for me to work with Srs. Maria Engracia, Cecelia, Alicia & Maribel, who devote their lives to ensuring these families are fed, clothed and protected as much as possible from the cartels and coyotes.

Let me end with two thoughts:

"Don’t ignore that anger. Don’t ignore the awareness of injustice. Let it move you to action." - Fr. James Martin, SJ

On Sunday July 22nd, 2018, my Dad and I will be running in the Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon. I'm hoping to use this race as an opportunity to help the thousands of migrant families seeking asylum from unsafe living conditions. For every mile I run, my goal is to collect donations for the Kino Border Initiative. 

Located on the boarder of Arizona and Mexico, the mission of the Kino Border Initiative is, "To promote US/Mexico border and immigration policies that affirm the dignity of the human person and a spirit of bi-national solidarity." The staff provides safe shelter, two meals a day, and first aid to men, women, and children who have been deported to Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. 

The Kino Border Initiative first opened it's doors in 2009. In 2016 the staff provided over 46,000 meals. "It is a safe space where women and children can bathe, eat, sleep, call their families and reflect on their experience."  For more information about who they are visit their website: https://www.kinoborderinitiative.org/ and watch the video below. 

The ministry of the Kino Border Initiative is needed now more than ever. In order to meet the needs of the groups they serve, the staff relies on monetary donations. Any amount helps and my Dad has agreed to match the first $500 in donations. 

In the face of great injustice, I'm hoping to use this race as an opportunity to bring about action, rather than writing an angry post on social media. This is not political or about partisan allegiance, this is about the obligation we all have to recognize the human dignity of every person. 

Thank you in advance for considering!