Who are asylum seekers?

Asylum seekers are a class of refugees who seek protection from torture and abuse in their home countries, after arriving in the US.

They must have faced persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. “Particular social group” has been interpreted to include the LGBTQ community.

A petition for asylum may be submitted at a port of entry or at a US Citizenship and Immigration Service’s service center.

  • Asylum seekers are prohibited from working for at least 180 days after submitting a petition for asylum. As a result, many are forced into homelessness and resorting to stigmatized means of survival.

    We seek to assist by providing housing, food, and a small monthly stipend to cover their most basic of needs. Also, we provide connections to existing pro bono legal services. Studies have shown that asylum seekers who have an attorney stand a much greater chance of being granted asylum than those who do not.

    Finally, we provide a sense of community. As you might understand, fleeing persecution in your home country to come to a country where you know no one can be emotionally difficult. Our monthly community dinners and workshops aim to ease their transitions to life in the US.

  • ∘ Attend and help promote our annual gala fundraiser

    ∘ Join your organization in catering a community dinner

    ∘ Temporarily host an asylum seeker in Worcester when the Task Force is at capacity

    ∘ Drive asylum seekers to appointments

    ∘ Assist asylum seekers with interview skills and resumés

    ∘ Help to identify pro bono mental health providers and legal resources

    ∘ Host a fundraising party

    ∘ Help to spread the word by sharing, tagging, and liking our social media posts

    ∘ Invite us to speak at your workplace, church, or social group

    ∘ Complete our volunteer form

    ∘ Sign up for our mailing list

    ∘ Get trained to help complete asylum applications- PAIR Project or New England Justice for Our Neighbors

  • It takes approximately $1,200 per month to provide the basic necessities of shelter, food, and support for each asylum seeker.

    Would you consider making your donation a recurring pledge? It would help us to better forecast our income and ability to accept new asylum seekers.