Did you know that ICE (federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement) houses immigrants in four detention centers in Northern New Jersey? The immigrants detained at 3 county jails and a separate center in Elizabeth are brought here from all over the country, often leaving them isolated far from family and friends.

First Friends of NJ & NY supports these detained immigrants (95 percent of whom are adult men) and is asking for help as the need continues to rise. First Friends runs one of the largest detention-visitation programs in the country, offers bond funds to get immigrants released, and gives released immigrants temporary housing and transportation to all parts of the United States.

To help released detainees, Christ Church is collecting several much-needed items (new only, please):

• Men’s belts, shoelaces and white undershirts. (Detainees are released from detention without belts and shoelaces.)
• Bath towels. First Friends provides every released person a towel and a backpack of toiletries and other sundries. First Friends also could use donations of small packs of tissues, hand sanitizers and Fresh Wipes to include in the backpacks.
• Small throw blankets for those released to use on their often-long bus rides to be reunited with family.

Please drop off items at Christ Church on or before Sunday, August 18.

First Friends also needs volunteers (especially Spanish speakers) to visit detained immigrants. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Stephanie Lopez at slopez@firstfriendsnjny.org.

For more information about First Friends, visit https://firstfriendsnjny.org/