Safety net

CLN provides much-needed support for individuals who are experiencing short term adversity and those who have recently arrived in our community and find themselves without the most basic needs for thriving. We see a consistent stream of newly arrived immigrants who often need help with immigration processes, identifying legal and local supports, finding jobs and housing and basic human needs such as clothing and food. While many individuals and families already know someone in our community, they are often completely unaware of how to access systems built to support them, and are nervous about using these services because of their status. Our Associate Director spends a substantial portion of her time helping these individuals access resources built for these adverse situations, and helping newcomers find their footing in our community. Our work in this area consists of:

• Translating and filling out relevant government documents, free of charge.
• Guiding people towards professionals who can help them navigate the immigration system, especially help in understanding the resources that are available to them both by right and by the state and federal government.
• The provision of basic needs like food vouchers, clothing and help in obtaining housing and employment.
• The provision of crucial support upon arrival so that they are more likely to better integrate into our community and access those community based assets that enable them to move from basic survival.
• Bringing crucial services to our space to make them more accessible and less intimidating.
• Navigation of local and city resources such as food pantries, police proceedings, city hall services, funeral services, etc.