Immigrant Support

Ulster Immigrant Defense Network (UIDN), a five-year old volunteer organization formed to provide a network of safety and support to immigrants, regardless of status, welcomes new volunteers to help sustain its important work.

In 2021, UIDN volunteers banded together to:

• pay rent and/or utility bills for 560 families
• distribute fresh food and household items to 542 families
• give rides to court appearances, ICE check-ins, and other important appointments to 65 families

Winter is upon us, and our immigrant neighbors are facing hardships such as Covid-related loss of employment, the imminent end of the NYS eviction ban, and food insecurity. Undocumented immigrants are ineligible for the great majority of federal and state benefits. UIDN’s efforts are aimed at redressing this injustice.

You can learn more about the following open volunteer roles by writing to UIDN at uidn@ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org and mentioning the specific role you are interested in. Someone will get back to you asap to explain more about the position and discuss next steps.

• UIDN Treasurer: Oversight of and/or responsibility for UIDN’s finances, including filings with IRS, monitoring budgets, accounting, supervising bookkeeper, financial statements to the Board and funders, among other duties. Officer position, experience required.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) Helpline workers—responds to Helpline callers needing assistance, enters information in client management database, coordinates with UIDN team leaders.
• Co-leads for four UIDN initiatives:
  • Website and Social Media—posting to FaceBook and Twitter, experience with WordPress
  • Rent and Utilities—arrange for financial assistance, keep accurate records, closely monitor budget
  • Volunteer Recruitment—do outreach for prospective volunteers, interview, some supervision

• Food & Household Support: Various roles related to UIDN’s weekly market serving over 120 families a week:
• People with trucks or vans to help deliver furniture and pick up food for market
• Coordinator to arrange deliveries to UIDN families (some Spanish extremely helpful)
• Record-keepers to track food and household item donations per family
• Helpers at Wednesday food market
• Resettlement: Locate safe and affordable housing and landlords to work with UIDN
• Transportation: Drivers to take UIDN family members to medical and legal appointments within the Hudson Valley (must be fully vaccinated).
• Spanish Translators: Occasional spoken translations, e.g. between tenant and landlord; written translation of monthly newsletter and UIDN messages to the families it serves.
• Monthly Newsletter Contributor: Help plan issues and seek out stories from UIDN community members.

To learn more about a position, please write to uidn@ulsterimmigrantdefensenetwork.org, naming the volunteer role in the subject line.

Volunteer Opportunities