01/29/2024
Dear friends and family,
Our synagogue Temple B'nai Torah has a sister congregation, Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila, who has been hosting a shelter of asylum-seeking refugees fleeing persecution in their home countries for over a year.
Approximately 160 individuals who were residents of the encampment at the church moved to a local hotel 3 weeks ago. The funding that was promised for this living arrangement was not forthcoming, and the asylum-seeking refugees will be evicted TOMORROW, Tuesday 1/30. They have nowhere viable to go as in the time they were gone, more people have arrived at the church seeking shelter in their places. They need funds to extend their stay at the hotel until they can get their asylum documents in order to get work permits so they can fund their own apartments. The cost to keep a family occupying a room for a month is $1800.
Many from our Temple community, including myself, have come together over the last several months to show our values of Tikkun Olam (“repairing the world”) and Gemilut Chasadim (“loving kindness”), by supporting these neighbors with donations of warm clothes, over-the-counter medicine, and volunteer hours.
I now personally appeal to my Sisterhood network to come together in an effort to keep these vulnerable families housed until they can get their asylum applications in order to get work permits to support themselves, as they deeply desire to be working, tax-paying, contributing members of their new society. Donations can be made directly to Riverton United Methodist Church, at https://rivertonparkumc.com/donate. Please note in the notes section of the donation form that you wish your donation to go to "hotel funds".
I am personally friends with some of the people and families in the hotel shelter, and can personally vouch for this excellent opportunity to help people in our community!
Warmly,
Adrien Helander
Riverton Park United Methodist Church
