A Charlottesville-area campaign providing grocery cards to immigrant families has surpassed its original fundraising goal — and organizers say the need continues to grow, too. WMRA’s Anjoleigh Schindler reports.
The Grocery Card Campaign launched earlier this year as local immigrant advocates and food assistance groups reported growing food insecurity.
Organizers said some families were hesitant to seek help from food pantries and other programs amid heightened immigration enforcement. The campaign instead provides prepaid grocery cards that families can use for food, diapers, medicine and other necessities.
When WMRA reported on the campaign in June, organizers had raised more than half of their $45,000 goal.
By the end of August, they had raised more than $75,000.
Javier Raudales is the executive director of Sin Barreras, one of the organizations leading the campaign.
JAVIER RAUDALES: I think we have a community that understands that their neighbors are in crisis. And in general, people are seeing what’s happening in the world, and I think everybody can understand that food insecurity is something we don’t want for our neighbors, for our friends, for our family.
The campaign was originally expected to run through the summer and into early fall.
But organizers have now raised their goal to $120,000 and plan to continue distributing cards through the end of the year.
Raudales says families affected by immigration arrests and deportations are among those receiving assistance, and the demand remains steady.
RAUDALES: Even today, this afternoon, we’re gonna have people stop by to pick up cards. So it’s a constant kind of — as the coalition helps register and connect with people, we’re consistently, week through week, just giving out.
Raudales says the cards can provide immediate relief for families juggling food costs with other household expenses – some of whom have lost a provider to immigration enforcement.
The Grocery Card Campaign is a partnership between Sin Barreras, Keep Going Together, Indivisible Charlottesville, the Central Virginia Community Support Fund and the Legal Aid Justice Center.
