The Longest Night

Update: Wow, our supporters really came through for us! We earned all matching funds from our generous supporters, a total of $6,500. We have extended our goal to $15,000 just to see how far our supporters will carry us into 2024. THANK YOU!

December 21, 2023 is the longest night of the year. Amid this darkness, El Refugio holds in the light the more than 1,400 people detained at Stewart Detention Center. They are separated from their families and alone for the holiday season. 

Three generous anonymous donors are matching all donations up to $6,500! 

Your donation provides a bilingual helpline they can call for support, a hospitality house where their loved ones can stay when they visit, social visits for people who don't have family to visit them, commissary deposits so they can buy food, toiletries, phone cards, and other items, books to alleviate boredom, bags of clothing when they are facing deportation, and advocacy support so they can fight for their freedom. 

While we provide support, we also fight for the closure of SDC and an end to immigration detention. 

This illustration is by Marie D'Abreo, an artist in California, and is part of our zine, The Seed Bag Story, which tells the story of Eugen, a man El Refugio volunteers visited many times while he was detained at SDC. He was eventually released and now lives in Maryland. He described to us the intense loneliness of detention. While detained Eugene extended kindness to everyone he could, so they wouldn't feel so scared and alone. We honor Eugen and everyone currently and formerly detained with this campaign. 

With your gift, you extend kindness to everyone detained at SDC.