Raleigh Area Immigration Efforts March 2025

Useful information about organizations working with immigrants in the Raleigh area including volunteer opportunities.

1.El Centro Hispano

421 Chapanoke Rd. Suite 156 Raleigh, 27603 984-208-2158 Office staff: Andrea.

Volunteer needs: Mariana Rocha-Goldberg mrocha@elcentronc.org

Attend an onboarding session on Zoom, held weekly or bi-weekly. OR watch the recording of a recent onboarding session (30 min). https://drive.google.com/file/d/15WuCw5CWLWUCnmJuaX7coqUH-3DUK4Vn/view
Complete the availability and interest areas form linked here.
There is quite a variety of needs. You can also copy and paste the following link into your browser:

Main focus now: Know Your Rights and Be Prepared—can volunteer to assist with these sessions; make calls; witness notarizations of POA; translation; specific need for attorney and notary volunteers; ICE watch group; track new resources; general administrative help in office; doorkeeper for events; Faith ID (from Faith Action Network); data entry; clerical, filing, organizing; k-12 tutoring; ESL tutors for adults; follow up surveys; computer skills

New area: Community Justice and Advocacy. Offer education to Latinos about POA, etc. POA drives. Explaining the options.

2.Siembra NC

a grassroots Latine organization in NC (including Wake County– www.siembranc.org) is looking for volunteers to help with ICE Watch groups. https://www.siembranc.org/volunteer

3.Wake Tech College and Career Readiness Department. www.waketech.edu/ccr-advising

They look for volunteers (tutors, etc.) through WAVES (Wake Adult Volunteer Educational Services) at wavespro@waketech.edu

4.Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Services (LIRS)

4020 Wake Forest Rd. 919-832-2620 www.lscarolinas.net

The program is called NC New Americans– Hannah DeMarca (828-253-0043) in Asheville conenected me to Raleigh supervisor Nick Bauer (nbauer@lscarolinas.net) . They are looking for volunteers to partner with families. It will be a weekly commitment for 3/6/12 months.
Services have been in Raleigh have been reduced to 4 families because 50-75% of funding has been affected. Unable to give refugees the promised funds. No new refugees arriving. Need funds for operating and for direct support, fundraisers, public awareness. Work with Refugee Hope Partners as well.

5.Refugee Hope Partners

North Raleigh Welcome Center
6625 015 Falls of Neuse Rd
Raleigh, NC 27615 (919) 390-2462 info@refugeehopepartners.org

Coming on May 3: Bridge the Gap 5K—can run/walk or volunteer on race day: https://event.racereach.com/bridge-the-gap/
Volunteer with after school tutoring or caring for children in the evenings while parents study English, transporting persons to medical appointments, etc. https://refugeehopepartners.org/volunteer/
We already have several members who are volunteering as tutors. I am investigating what it takes to become a partner congregation.

6.US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) 3824 Barrett Dr. Raleigh 919-334-0072. (LM, no response yet)

7. National level organizations

Latino Christian National Network: a network of Latino leaders (local pastors engaged in social justice work, professors, denominational leaders, regional leaders). Juntosencristo.org

SOJOURNERS. Great resource for information, practical steps, but does not seem to be current with deportation orders, etc. https://sojo.net/join/campaigns/immigration

PCUSA—Amanda Craft, manager, immigration advocacy. Amanda.craft@pcusa.org (emailed but have not heard back)

Becoming a sanctuary church. Current Presbyterian Outlook story on St. Andrews in Austin and Lakeview in Chicago. https://pres-outlook.org/2025/03/these-churches-offer-shelter-and-sanctuary-to-vulnerable-migrants-heres-why/?utm_source=Presbyterian+Outlook+Email+Updates&utm_campaign=d82aa8e62e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2021_10_13_07_31_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b2a9be72d0-d82aa8e62e-416746753&mc_cid=d82aa8e62e&mc_eid=3eb25e7299 (need to subscribe to read the whole article).

More general information: https://pcusa.org/about-pcusa/agencies-entities/interim-unified-agency/ministry-areas/immigration-issues/sanctuary