Local cities to send supplies to refugee children crossing border
On the same day the federal government announced it will no longer be housing unaccompanied minors from Central America at three military facilities, Watsonville and Santa Cruz announced increased efforts to gather more supplies for refugee children and their mothers.
Paul Johnston, with Central Coast Refugee Aid, said they gathered two truckloads of donated supplies, mostly from Watsonville and Santa Cruz.
The new Refugee Aid program of the Immigration Action Group said items include everything from underwear, socks and hygiene products and $1,500 in donations for refugee children and mothers being held at the ICE detention and processing center in Murietta.
On Tuesday, volunteers will bring the donations collected from Santa Cruz to San Jose, where they will be loaded onto a large trailer truck that will proceed through the Central Valley gathering donations from other communities.
Here is the current list of collection locations:
Star of the Sea ~ Iglesia Estrella del Mar, 515 Frederick St., Santa Cruz, MWThF (closed Tues) 10am-5pm (closed 12-1).
Live Oak Family Resource Center, 17th y Capitola Road, Santa Cruz Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Resurrection Church, 7600 Soquel Dr, Aptos Mon-Fri, 8:30am- 4:30 PM, (closed 12:30-1:30)
First Christian Church ~ Iglesia Cristiana, 15 Madison Street (a East Lake Ave) Watsonville Miercoles, Jueves, Viernes 1am-5pm, Domingo 12:30pm-2pm.
Assumption Church ~ Iglesia Asuncion 100 Salinas Road, Pajaro Mon-Fri 9:00am- 5:45pm
United Presbyterian Church ~ Iglesia Presbiteriana Unida, 112 E Beach St., Watsonville
Lutheran Community Church ~ Iglesia Luterana de la Comunidad, 95 Alta Vsta, Watsonville Weds/Mircoles & Thurs/Jueves 2-5pm Fri/viernes 6-8m, Sun/domingo 3-5pm
Resurrection Church, 7600 Soquel Dr, Aptos Mon-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm (closed 12:30-1:30)
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on sponsoring some of these children locally and providing legal representation to them. No word on if Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties will take similar actions.
According to CNN, the Department of Health and Human Services, responsible for the care of children after they are taken into custody, said it has been able to find other types of locations for the some of tens of thousands of the children who have come from Central America.
Internal Homeland Security Department figures showed more than 62,000 children had illegally come into the United States as of the end of last week during the past 10 months, according to a U.S. official.
