Kevin Toyama for J-Sei
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
J-Sei in MayWe have an infinite amount of love to share—spread it around!
$3,000
raised by 22 people
$3,000 goal
New update
Cliona was released! Hopefully the money raised on her GoFundMe will cover her legal fees . . . and therapy over being imprisoned for two weeks. Still, she's back with her family:
https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/irish-green-card-holder-released-from-ice-custody-in-tacoma/
This will sound kinda weird, but please do NOT donate to my page.
At least, not yet.
As you may know, I rejoined the J-Sei board of directors after previously serving for six years. It’s an amazing organization filled with people who genuinely care about the community.
J-Sei delivered more than 37,000(!!) meals last year to seniors, providing nutritious lunches to nourish their bodies. It provides art, fitness, and cultural classes to more than 450 participants so they can remain active and engaged, and to nourish their minds and spirits. J-Sei serves an important role in so many lives, and your donation will help ensure the great work of a noble organization!
BUT.
There are also people—families, friends, neighbors, community members—who also need your help. Like, right now.
Last month, a guy who did some plumbing work for me was given 10 days to pack up his family and leave the country or face being arrested. He had a social security number, work permit, paid taxes, and his two children were in school. Super-nice dude. When he was halfway done with the work, I tried to pay him half his fee. “Thank you, but I don’t accept any money until I’ve finished the job,” he replied. He’s currently in another country, trying to settle his family while waiting for their naturalization papers to be processed.
Last week, I learned that a gal from my high school is being detained by ICE. I remember her being a grade above me; we didn’t have classes together, but I still recognize her 35 years later. She recently went to Ireland to see her father—he has dementia and is at the end of his life. She was detained when she reentered the country. She lives in Santa Cruz, works and pays taxes, and has a valid green card. Did I mention she’s the primary caregiver for her chronically ill son? Right now, she’s in an ICE detention center in Seattle.
It feels like terrible, terrible things are happening every day, and it could even be happening to someone you know. It’s overwhelming to the point that I want to stop reading the news and bury my head in the sand. But I can’t. We can’t. Because people need our help.
This isn’t a “Well, technically . . . ” discussion, where we argue the minutia of the legal system. It’s about kindness in the face of cruelty. It’s about shining a light in the darkness. It’s about helping.
So now as you consider donating to my J-Sei page, I ask that you actually take a part of that wonderful generosity—which is so, so much appreciated—and spread a bit of it around. If you’re able to donate $10 to J-Sei, consider giving $3 of it to help a kids group. Or $2 of it to help pay someone’s hospital bills. Or give $1 of it to a stranger who just looks like they could use a break. There are just so many causes that are worthy of our help.
And if you’re unable to spare anything in this time of job uncertainty and rising prices, please remember that you can still make a HUGE difference every single day just by choosing to be nice. : )