SPRINGFIELD — A community group has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the Haitian community in Springfield.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, a group of pastors said they noticed the Haitian community was being targeted on a national scale over the past year, so they formed a group called G92.
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The group raised and donated over $150,000 to local organizations to help the Haitian community in the past week.
Carl Ruby is a pastor at Central Christian Church.
He said the goal of the group is to “welcome (Haitians) and to protect them from being deported back to a country where we are convinced their lives will be in danger.”
On Feb. 3, Temporary Protected Status was scheduled to end for Haitians, but a federal judge put a temporary hold on the order.
Last week, the group held an event about immigration reform and family unity.
It raised upwards of $150,000, which is going to action groups that work directly with the Haitian community.
“Primarily to the Haitian Support Center, to St Vincent’s, and to ABLE (Advocates for Basic Legal Equality),” Ruby said.
He added that the organizations will likely use the money to provide legal aid to help people apply for asylum.
“Haitian Support Center, which is a new nonprofit where Haitians are seeking to help other Haitians,” Ruby said.
Part of the help is not just financial donations, but also in food and supplies.
The group has gathered boxes of supplies, like diapers, and prepackaged meals to help anyone who needs it.
Ruby added that, from what he’s experienced, the Haitian community in Springfield is “very frightened.”
“You can’t help but be frightened if you’ve watched any of the news coming out of Minneapolis,” he said.
Ruby said the foundation of their efforts is love.
“We’re just a bunch of church people who believe that Jesus loves immigrants and He expects us to, too,” he said.
The group doesn’t have its next fundraiser planned but they are willing to open their doors to anyone in need.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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