Support Patty's Urgent Legal Fees for Green Card Renewal

Hello, good people of the web/world! We are seeking urgent financial assistance for Patty Mata, a cherished friend, community member, comedien, and social worker in D.C. Originally from Canada, for which we have forgiven her, Patty applied for her green card renewal in 2022 and received word on May 19, 2024, that her application was denied. Estimated costs to resolve this urgent issue in the required 30-day window will be around $9,000—$3,500 of which needs to be put down in the next couple of days to move forward with legal counsel. Both Patty and her husband, Noah, have worked in the non-profit sphere since getting married in 2018, and are seeking financial support to cover these significant unexpected costs.

The green card renewal process typically takes up to a year, but due to COVID, there has been a significant backlog for those seeking permanent residency in the U.S. Patty's denial is related to a paperwork gap, but that little piece of paper is now requiring for lawyers to get involved in order to ensure Patty can maintain a legal residency in the country.

Their best hope is for the lawyers to provide sufficient evidence warranting the denial be waived. But, this may require Noah and Patty to refile for her green card, should the USCIS deny their appeal request. There is no certainty how long this process could take, which has caused tremendous stress for Patty and Noah, as both of their families largely live abroad, and Patty has been unable to leave the country since 2022.

Patty and her husband, Noah, have worked as local pastors and since 2018 and recently transitioned to new community-oriented endeavors. Patty, a licensed social worker, is currently working at a D.C. medical respite home serving hospice patients and folks with HIV. Noah, who has worked as a pastor since 2014, recently began his own life coaching business alongside contract services in design, photography, and filming skills, recently filming two local comedy specials. They are parents to a large, lumbering, sweetie dog named Landon—and how GoFundMe forced us to crop his face in the above photo is not a reflection of their love for him. Please do not show this photo to Landon.

Thank you for your help in aiding these two lovely people in securing a safe (and legal) future in the city and country they both call home. To know Patty and Noah is to know the level of care and selflessness they offer to anyone who crosses their path. I have been a grateful beneficiary of their friendship, and I know there's a good 1,000+ others who could say the same. So let's show out for them like they do for us and support them in their time of need until we can throttle the U.S. immigration system. Think of donating as an investment into not having to pay for a flight to Toronto to visit Patty and Noah. No shade to Canada—Keanu Reeves is very important to us. Poutine.

You can contact me (Rebecka Green) on Instagram @rebecka_green if you have questions/need assistance around giving. You can also reach out directly to Patty and Noah if you want to wax poetic about your affection for them/questions about why they chose the aforementioned picture of Landon.