SAMU First Response Expands Migrant Program with New Welcome Center in Nogales, Arizona

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Nogales, Arizona – October 28, 2024 – SAMU First Response is pleased to announce the expansion of its Migrant Assistance Program with the opening of a new Welcome Center in Nogales, Arizona. This facility, which opened on September 1, 2024, operates 24/7 serving asylum seekers who have just crossed the U.S. border. The Welcome Center aims to provide immediate support, resources, and essential services to those beginning their journey in the United States.

In the first two months, the Welcome Center has served 3,588 individuals and facilitated the arrival of 113 buses transporting  asylum seekers, all part of the round-the-clock operation. In this time short amount of time, SAMU has distributed 3,477 meals to newly arrived migrants, who primarily come from Venezuela, Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba, Haiti, and various African nations.

The migrant community that we are receiving at the border are often individuals who have endured a perilous journey through the Darien Gap, which is a dense jungle between Colombia and Panama and is considered to be one of the most dangerous migrant routes and challenges to arrive to the U.S. – Mexico border.

At the Nogales Welcome Center, SAMU First Response provides a range of critical services:

Transportation: Free shuttle services are provided to shelters in Tucson, Arizona.

Travel Assistance: Migrants receive financial assistance with tickets (bus, train, plane) and information on their next destination.

Rest and Refreshments: The center offers spaces for migrants to rest, eat, and access amenities like Wi-Fi for communication with family, charging stations, clean clothing, and personal hygiene products.

The work at SAMU’s Nogales Welcome Center is currently funded entirely by SAMU First Response, demonstrating the urgent need for partnerships and alliances to sustain and enhance these critical services.

SAMU invites potential collaborators to join us on our mission to assist migrants and help to expand the services offered to meet the growing needs of those arriving daily.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage: SAMU First Response Honored at 2024 Proclamation Ceremony

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SAMU First Response was honored to be invited and attend a special Hispanic Heritage month Proclamation Ceremony on Tuesday, September 24th on behalf of the Fairfax County Government. This event provided the opportunity to recognize and appreciate the diverse cultures, traditions, and contributions of the Hispanic community in the DMV area.

The ceremony began with some refreshments where local organizations were able to network and share with each other the outstanding work that they are currently doing with the Hispanic community in Fairfax County, VA. Some of the organizations in attendance were CASA Virginia, Centreville immigration Forum, Edu-Futoro, Consulates of various countries, HACAN, Juntos por Virgina, Meyer Foundation, Second Story, The Womens Center, and many others. The Board of Supervisors meeting at the Fairfax County Government held a panelist of speakers highlighted the importance of cultural representation in all areas of the communities that they serve. Jeffrey C. McKay who is Chairman said that “If we are not doing it in a culturally competent way, then we are not reaching those who need to be reached.”

The Hispanic community is the fasted growing demographic in Fairfax County and currently 200,000 Hispanic Americans call it home. The panelists highlighted the outstanding work that local organizations are doing to make sure that individuals are being reached in the way that they need to be. SAMU First Response celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the work that individuals have contributed to the community.

SAMU Arrives in Puerto Rico

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SAMU has arrived in Puerto Rico and has launched the program initiative Smile in Puerto Rico. This program is in collaboration with SAMU and Fundacion Atención Atención that is based in Puerto Rico. Two team members from the SAMU team in Spain have arrived in Puerto Rico this past week to replicate a program that is currently in Fundacion Atención Atención that is called La Hora de Juegos or The Hour of Play.

La Hora de Juegos is an intervention program that has been implemented in the public schools of Puerto Rico that focuses on using the form of play to reach children that are facing difficult life circumstances. This initiative works with creating spaces for psycho-emotional recovery in children after difficult events. It also works as a tool of prevention to help children acquire tools of resilience and socialization.

The program is designed so that trained professionals will go to schools around Puerto Rico for one hour a day and use play time and music to establish bonds of trust with the children, while working on processes of personal development, psychological introspection, and healthy socialization. Our team from Spain has been working with three different schools around Puerto Rico to provide spaces of healing. They begin their day at 7:00am where they attend three classes of children until 9:20am. After that, they move to the second school, where they teach two classes from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Finally, they arrive at the third school where they teach two classes from 1:30pm to 2:30pm.

Smile in Puerto Rico is a four-week program with SAMU that focuses on different personal development aspects each week. The first week focuses on creating skills of self-knowledge and self- concept. The second week focuses on establishing healthy social skills. The third week centers around autonomy and the ability for one’s own choices and independent decisions. And finally on the fourth week, concentrating on emotional and mental health. After the four weeks of La Hora Del Juegos, the aspiration is that the children will be able to acquire the tools of resilience and healthy socialization and apply those to their everyday lives.

 

Inscripciones abiertas para el programa EMPRENDE RV-MIGRANTES en Maryland

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Migrantes de diferentes partes del mundo que viven en Maryland tendrán la posibilidad de formarse en emprendimiento y concretar su plan de negocias gracias al programa “Emprende RV-Migrantes” que implementa SAMU First Response de la mano con la ONG Second Chance.

El programa comienza el sábado 13 de julio y consiste en 32 horas de formación académica en donde se utilizará la realidad virtual como recursos de aprendizaje, de manera de sumergir a los participantes en un mundo nuevo e innovador de conocimientos acercándolos
a la tecnología, que les permitirá poner su idea de negocio en marcha.

El programa “Emprende RV-Migrantes” consiste en:

  • Actividades presenciales y virtuales.
  • 32 horas académicas de duración.
  • Jornadas los sábados y algunos domingos.
  • Realidad virtual como recurso de aprendizaje.
  • Capital semilla para iniciar tu negocio.

Las inscripciones están abiertas y los interesados pueden registrarse en
https://www.secondchancelatam.org/emprendimientomaryland/. El programa tiene una duración de 32 horas académicas e incluye actividades presenciales y virtuales. Es dictado los sábados y domingos.

Calendario de actividades:

  • 13 y 14 de Julio: Bootcamp: De la idea a la acción.
  • 20 de Julio: ¿Cómo conseguir financiamiento?
  • 04 de Agosto: ¡Manos a la obra! Últimos detalles de tu plan de negocios.
  • 11 de Agosto: Práctica tu discurso de venta.
  • 12 de Agosto: Rueda de negocios.

Para mayor información, contactar con nosotros.

“Caminando Juntos” evento comunitario para apoyar a migrantes en Maryland

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Con el objetivo de ofrecer un espacio informativo y de apoyo a los migrantes que residen y participan activamente en la comunidad del estado de Maryland, SAMU First Response organiza el evento “Caminando Juntos”, en el que los migrantes pueden conectarse con otras organizaciones y así facilitar su proceso de inserción en Estados Unidos.

El evento será el próximo sábado 29 de junio de 2024 en las instalaciones del Metro Points Hotel ubicado en 8500 Annapolis Road, New Carrollton, MD 20784, desde las 9:00 am hasta las 2:00 pm. Andrea Gallegos, managing director de SAMU First Response, aseguró que “durante este evento, los asistentes tendrán la oportunidad de participar en sesiones informativas sobre apoyo emocional, asistencia legal, conocer testimonios exitosos de migrantes que llegaron a Estados Unidos y hoy están insertados totalmente en la comunidad. Además de conocer sobre sus derechos en Estados Unidos, entre otros servicios”.

A su juicio, el objetivo del evento “Caminando juntos” es crear un puente entre los migrantes y las organizaciones que pueden apoyarlos en su proceso de adaptación e integración. “Sabemos que la información es poder, y queremos asegurarnos de que todos los migrantes en Maryland tengan acceso a los recursos necesarios para construir una vida plena y productiva en este país”, agregó Montilla.

El evento contará con la participación de múltiples organizaciones locales y estatales, incluyendo agencias gubernamentales, ONG, y grupos comunitarios, que estarán presentes para ofrecer información y asistencia directa. Además, se proporcionarán servicios de traducción para garantizar que todos los asistentes puedan aprovechar al máximo las oportunidades disponibles.

La inscripción para “Caminando Juntos” es gratuita y puede realizarse a través de Caminando Juntos: Evento de alcance comunitario para migrantes (office.com) Se recomienda a los interesados registrarse con anticipación para asegurar su lugar en el evento.

Para más información sobre “Caminando Juntos” y para registrarse comuníquese con nosotros.

Community Baby Shower and Health Fair for Migrant Mothers Supported by SAMU First Response

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Maryland Latinos Unidos, a statewide network of organizations, businesses, and individuals who support Latino and immigrant communities hosted a Community Baby Shower and Health fair for new and expecting migrant mothers. This fair was hosted on June 1st, 2024 in Annapolis, Maryland and partnered with Luminis Health, Well Point, City of Annapolis, and SAMU First Response.

This initiative provided an opportunity for new and expecting mothers to receive the necessary supplies in order to take care of a newborn child (such as baby clothes and diapers), receive information on the resources available for pregnant mothers in the Maryland area, and get in contact with specific organizations that can help them once their baby arrives.

SAMU First Response played a large role in this organization by providing a large donation of baby clothes and supplies to the event, which were originally donated to us by Delivering Goods. We also were able to give out cell phones that were donated by WelcomeUS and came with a one-year plan for activation. This resource opens so many doors for families in the United States looking to start their life in Maryland. With a one-year cellphone plan paid for they can look for housing, community resources, connect with family members in their home country and across the United States, and even look for employment.

During the event we spoke with many of the mothers about our services and resources that we provide. Some of the mothers had just arrived from crossing the border, while others had been in the area for one or two years already. We used this event as an opportunity to provide the correct information to migrants and their families about the valid documentation that is needed to be able to access services in the United States. There is specific documentation that is required for those who have crossed the border and is needed in order to access services in the area. There are times in the community where misinformation has been shared and we used this time to make sure that the correct information was being shared and distributed, so that they can access the services that they need.

We are grateful that we were able to partner with this event as it is important for SAMU First Response to continue to be a helping hand in the lives of migrants starting their life in the United States. Our work with the migrant community is more than just a three-day respite for those who have initially arrived. We are working to provide a more comprehensive scope of resources and always put our best foot forward to provide what we can to the migrant community through our values of excellence, kindness, and education.

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SAMU First Response Attends The National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Conference

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SAMU First Response had the privilege of attending the National VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) Conference that occurred on May 6 to May 9, 2024 in Phoenix, AZ. VOAD was formed over 50 years ago in response to many challenges that disaster organizations experienced with the duplication of efforts and many needs unmet in a disaster. Since then, VOAD has been founded as a forum for sharing knowledge and coordinating resources throughout the disaster cycle: preparation, response, and recovery. The four-day conference provided an opportunity for organizations active in disaster to learn from the experience of others who are working towards the same goal of helping others.

At the conference, our staff members were able to participate in lectures and discussions that ranged from sustainable recovery efforts and the importance of community involvement to practical insights into managing FEMA grants and innovative approaches for non-profits. Workshops emphasized collaboration, effective communication, and the involvement of diverse stakeholders in supporting affected families and communities. There were also workshops that explored the latest developments in disaster case management, Multi-Agency Resource Centers, and no-cost training resources to enhance operational capabilities.

The 2024 National VOAD Conference was a testament to the dedication and collaboration within the disaster response community. Our team members left with not only enhanced knowledge, but also valuable connections that will undoubtedly strengthen our work in disaster relief and recovery.

SAMU First Response responds to the call for help at the border

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Arizona is one of the border states where migrants cross every day to enter the United States. Casa Alitas – a part of Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona – is the principal nonprofit organization receiving migrants in the Tucson sector along the border and has been aiding those who are crossing the border since June 2014. Casa Alitas is a local humanitarian aid project committed to helping legally processed asylum seekers by offering hospitality, housing, food, clothing, toiletries, advocacy, and travel assistance. They receive between 400-1,800 individuals per day who have fled their home countries to escape violence and persecution. As of 2024 Casa Alitas has served over 400,000 individuals seeking a better life.

Casa Alitas reached out to SAMU First Response leadership in March with a request for immediate support in first response care to migrants crossing the southern border and we were able to answer their call by sending five of our dedicated first response employees to help in Tucson and Nogales, Arizona. Our emergency deployment team arrived on April 28, 2024.

“We are seeing a lot of people that need help and searching for a better life. Since we arrived this week, we have attended to 500 to 600 people per day. The work that they do here is incredible in making sure the intake is process is fluid and efficient “, said Derick Alegria who is on the ground in Tuscon, AZ and part of the Intake and Emergency Deployment Team. “We are seeing a great need in supplies such as beddings, cots, and hygiene kits. The amount of people arriving each day is so much that it is hard for Casa Alitas to keep up with the demand and they need support.”

This week, our team’s work has been crucial in the intake process of aiding in the coordination of intake services, logistical support, and procurement of necessary items. Our team will provide assembled hygiene kits to Casa Alitas to aid in the intake procedures and distributing donations, ensuring that migrants receive the assistance they need at the beginning of their challenging journey in a dignified and respectful manner. Our team is also delivering psychological care through specialized workshops for minors and ensuring access to life’s basic necessities while equipping them with the necessary documentation and information about their next steps.

Our team will continue to support Casa Alitas and evaluate the need for a second deployment based on the ongoing assessments of the current migrant situation in Arizona. This deployment of our team is focused on sustaining support and adjusting resources as needed to ensure effective long-term assistance for migrants. As always, our mission at SAMU First Response is to save lives and we will continue to collaborate and support those whose mission is the same.

About Catholic Community Services:

Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona has been dedicated to Providing Help, Creating Hope, and Serving All since 1933. As a diverse family of clients, staff, volunteers, and donors, CCS is committed to touching lives daily, guided by love, hope, and compassion. With a wide range of services, from the Community Outreach Program for the Deaf to the Pio Decimo Center for young children, Casa Alitas for migrants and refugees, a new Medical Respite Center for men and women experiencing homelessness, and services in Yuma, Sierra Vista, and beyond, CCS provide access to basic needs and ensure vulnerable communities’ safety, stability, and lifelong health.

About SAMU First Response:

Is a passionate humanitarian aid organization based in Washington, D.C.. Our mission as a 501(c)(3) non-profit is to serve vulnerable populations during national and international crises. Since June of 2022, SAMU has provided reception and respite services to more than 12,600 migrants in our nation’s capital, while our Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams deployed to Turkey and Morocco, as medical teams provided critical support to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

Washington, D.C. Nonprofit Provides Relief During Texas Wildfires

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Hutchinson County, Texas – The fires that have killed at least two people and scorched nearly 1.3 million acres of land in the Texas Panhandle are still raging. First responders and those displaced by the disaster are getting some relief from a SAMU First Response volunteer team sent from Washington, D.C., to help meet ongoing needs in the region.

Today, our Texas volunteer team has split time between two sites. At the first, a donation and distribution site located at The Dome Civic and Convention Center in Borger, SAMU’s  fully bilingual team has been able to support impacted residents with supplies.

“What we are seeing is trucks coming with ALL kinds of goods,” Mission Lead Borja González Escalada said. “There is no one showing up with just one box, but pallets of water, diapers, hand soap, new clothing and cleanup supplies. This is being distributed to the people so they have all they need for weeks.”

At a second site in nearby Canadian, SAMU team members received, organized and distributed farm supplies, including hay and feed resources, as well as fencing supplies. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, about 85% of the state’s more than four jmillion cattle are located in the area. In some counties across the panhandle, the department reports that cattle population far exceeds people.

“The livelihoods of many cattle farmers in the area have been severely impacted by the fires,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said. “These fires not only threaten lives and property but will also have a substantial impact on our agriculture industry.”

Although four wildfires have been contained in Cass, Red River, Wood and Tyler Counties, active wildfires in Gray, Hutchinson, Moore and Oldham counties continue to burn. Most are between 55 and 85 percent contained, but the largest, the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Hutchinson County is about 15 percent contained. That blaze has become the largest wildfire in the state’s history and is estimated to have consumed a total of 1,076,638 acres. On Saturday, the Texas A&M Forest Service responded to four new requests for assistance with approximately 37 acres of wildfires burning across the state. Strong winds on Sunday prompted another evacuation in Sanford, Texas.

The Intake Team of SFR: How the team has changed within one year

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“The Intake team began working on the street without equipment and tools and now we have a secure location where the intake team can help migrants start their lives in the United States.”

On June 21, 2022 SAMU First Response in Washington, D.C. welcomed the very first bus at Union Station from Texas carrying 28 migrants. The arrival of the buses from Texas and Arizona started off by dropping off asylum seekers at Union Station, which is the heart of public transportation in D. C. It is located a mere 500 feet from the United States Capitol building, which is where the U.S. congress meets to write the laws of the nation and where every single U.S president was inaugurated into their position of power.

The buses would arrive anywhere from 5:00 am to 11:00pm and each week the timing varied.  In the very beginning, the team relied on five individuals dedicated to coordinating the operation, alongside the assistance of four volunteers from Spain that aided in additional support. Eventually the intake team was able to grow to eight dedicated team members. The intake job is to meet and welcome each bus and provide the basic needs of food, water, and clothing while talking to each individual and family to determine what is their plan and final destination within the United States.

Over the next 11 months the team operated out of the food court in Union Station and several generous churches that provided them space. This meant that with each bus that arrived supplies had to be gathered, counted, and stored in the personal vehicles of some of the team members. Once the buses arrived, the team would unload the items and bring them into the dedicated locations where they would be able to serve the buses and hope that the public wifi would be working that day. Amrine Obermueller, who has worked on the intake team since July 2022 recalls, “Every weekend we would greet the buses at the food court in Union Station. There were times when safety and security were in question, as it is a public space, and it was out of our control who would arrive to the space or attempt to speak to the migrants as they were taking moments of rest and waiting for our team to process travel.”

Today, the Intake team is a much more robust operation with 11 individuals dedicated to the arrival of the buses and walk-ins. With the growth and expansion of the Intake Team and the opening of the new D.C. respite location, the team is now able to welcome incoming migrants in a secure and safe location with a dedicated area to rest, facilities to store cold water or hot coffee, kitchen to prepare hot meals, clothing options and a secure place to change, and a dedicated play area for children to have an imagination again. With these positive changes, the intake team has been able to flourish even more in their positions and the resources they are able to provide for incoming migrants.

Marisela Castillo, Intake and Outreach Manager, has been able to witness the change of the Intake team and the way that they have been able to adapt over time with the resources provided. She says, “The Intake department from June 2022 to now has changed a lot. Intake began working on the street, outside bus stations, and without equipment or tools. We used tables from food courts as desks and carts as our storage. This team has always had plenty of commitment and love for the work. Now, the intake team has grown and evolved. We have people who speak French, English, and Spanish. We can now receive migrants, register and interview them, determine their needs and help them reach their final destination by providing them a safe place to rest and locate resources so that they can start their lives in the United States.”

Within a year the operation has changed immensely and Derick Alegria, who is the Lead Intake Specialist and has been a part of the Intake Team since June 2022, says that “Already a year has passed and there are so many stories to tell, but the most wonderful thing has been to witness how the intake team has grown. There used to be only four of us at Union Station receiving a bus from Texas at 6:00am and now we are 11 wonderful individuals on the team receiving buses in a secure location (with walk-in services), which I would have never imagined a year ago.”

As of today, the Intake Team has welcomed 230 buses from Texas and Arizona with over 10,000 migrants. Each member of the intake team is very proud to be part of such a dedicated and hard-working team while being able to aid in the journey of individuals trying to find a better life. “I believe that as an organization we have built something extremely successful from scratch. The preparation and execution of the process that we have been developing throughout this time has been very effective.” said Derick Alegria. As the organization grows and develops more resources in the future, the Intake team is excited to be part of the change and development to help every migrant arriving in the Washington, D.C. area.