In the past few months, we’ve seen a huge rise in people giving time and money to their community. Some might see it as too little too late. But allow us a Pollyanna moment: We see people grasping every opportunity to support one another and spread a message of unity.

We’re United Way. So naturally, we’re all about it.

Thanks to your support, people new to the scene for advocacy and philanthropy have a great place to go: United Way.

Our work with immigrants and refugees is a popular search on our volunteer website. We’ve been doing this work for quite some time. So have the 54 organizations we partner with in this work. And in our current political environment, this work is especially important to continue.

Your donations make up United Way’s grants. Those grants support people of color, immigrants and refugees. It’s woven into the fabric of our work to building a community where people have homes, students graduate and families are financially stable. Take a look at our favorite examples:

1. Parent-Child Home Program: Low-income immigrant/refugee moms and dads get parenting support from a coach who speaks their language and knows their culture.
2. Free Tax Prep Campaign: Volunteers do lower-income people’s taxes for free and help them get the right benefits/credits. Volunteers collectively speak tons of languages. Because how tough would it be to try to do your taxes in foreign language?
3. Mother Africa: Our grants help immigrant/refugee women and kids through a certified nursing assistant scholarship program (getting a good job), driving lessons (getting to said good job), and the child care to get both of those done.
4. Ethiopian Community In Seattle. Our grants help Ethiopian immigrants who arrive in the U.S. and are not yet eligible for any government support. Finding a home and a job are tough enough situations when you do speak English. So Ethiopian families are at high risk of becoming homeless without this help.
5. Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. Our grants give immigrant kids attorneys to represent them, protect them in instances of abuse and neglect, and help them gain legal status. Otherwise, the U.S. immigration system has those kids representing themselves. Probably not an Elle Woods ending there.

In January, 200 people gathered to talk equity and meet others passionate about immigrant and refugee support. At the event, two high-school brothers shared their own immigration story.

You personally might not have an immigration story or journey as a refugee. But you’re part of someone else’s. You’re part of their success here. Because you’re part of United Way.

Read why we #LiveUnitedForEquity and inclusion, from our CEO.