Together We Can Make a Difference

Dear Friends,

We hope this message finds you well,

We recently returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, where we embarked on what we thought would be our usual enjoyment of the arts and culture of a new town (for us) and cooking in a local soup kitchen. Little did we know that our journey would open our eyes to a humanitarian crisis of immense proportions.

We were confronted with the stark reality of migrants – men, women, children, and elderly – undertaking the treacherous journey north. These were not just faces in a crowd; they were families torn apart by poverty, violence, and despair. The scenes we witnessed were beyond comprehension – babies without shelter, children without shoes, parents struggling to shield their loved ones from the scorching sun.

Imagine, for a moment, being forced to leave behind everything you know and love, embarking on a perilous journey with no guarantee of safety or sustenance. Our hearts were shattered, we cried at least once during every shift in the kitchen, but our resolve is unwavering. Our group offered nourishing meals, clothing, women's sanitary products, cell phone charging stations, drinking water, diapers and basic medical supplies. But our resources are stretched thin. The need is growing exponentially. Every day more migrants fill the streets of Oaxaca. We saw and felt it up close, we handed them food, we gave them shoes to wear. We cannot do this alone. That’s why we are reaching out to you today with an urgent plea for help. Your generosity can make a world of difference to those who have nothing.

Please, consider making a donation to support our efforts. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity.

There is a matching fund of up to $10,000 towards this effort.

Every penny will go towards helping people and keeping the kitchen open.

■ $100 provides 300 meals

■ $150 covers wages for two local people to organize and run the kitchen

for an entire week

■ $360 hires a local cook to make lunch for a month (which the volunteers

then assemble and distribute)

■ $600 rent for the month for our kitchen and distribution room

■ Larger gifts will allow us to eventually rent a space where migrants can

sleep or rest during the day and not be driven off by the police or others.