Sunday, April 23, 2023 | Special Advertising Section 1 R 4 replacement program and a health care budget proviso. “This type of advocacy is something KIAC has been doing locally within partner organizations and local government agencies since our beginnings, but we anticipate using our voice and influence to advocate for wider policy changes more often in the months and years to come,” Allen said. According to U.S. census data, Washington state in 2021 was home to 1,143,311 foreign-born people, who accounted for 14.8% of the state’s total population of roughly 7.7 million. The 2021 rate was an 86.1% increase over the previous year. (The term “foreignborn” includes naturalized U.S. citizens, green-card holders, refugees, asylum seekers and unauthorized arrivals.) The breakdown of the state’s immigrant population by region of origin, according to the data: 45.3% Asian, 26.9% Latino, 15.1% European and 6.3% African. Some 4.3% were born in Northern America outside the U.S., and 2.2% were born in Australia and surrounding territories. While significant in numbers, Washington state’s immigrant population tends to be on firmer footing economically than those in other states. The number of immigrants living below the poverty level in Washington was 11.6% of their population, according to the 2021 data. By contrast, 22.2% of New Mexico’s immigrants live below the poverty level, and the total in Louisiana is 21.8%. Nevertheless, there is a significant need for the immigrant outreach services provided by nonprofit organizations in Washington, particularly those specializing in areas such as legal services, education and job training. Casa Latina (casa-latina.org) has been a valued resource for the region’s Latino community for more than 25 years. The Seattle-based nonprofit organization provides direct services for the community while also engaging in community organizing work to address systemic change for immigrant workers. Another organization, Colectiva Legal del Pueblo (colectivalegal.org), takes its work for immigrants directly to the front lines: the courts. Based in Burien, the nonprofit features a brigade of staff attorneys and paralegals who are dedicated to the abolition of migrant imprisonment and shutting down detention centers that profit off the separation of families and exploited labor. Clients turn to Colectiva Legal del Pueblo for help completing forms, filings with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, representation at asylum interviews and appearances before the Immigration Court and the Board of Immigration Appeals. The organization currently has 1,521 actives cases, 10% of which are being handled on a pro bono basis. GIVING GUIDE Nonprofits Continued from page 2 Some 2022 highlights at Casa Latina • Dispatched more than 5,961 jobs for members with an average hourly wage of about $31. • The Worker Defense Committee helped recover more than $83,191 in stolen wages and supported 98 wage theft cases. • The Member Food Meal Program distributed 2,760 meals. • 128 members participated in more than 327 in-person classes with a total of 467 hours of instruction. • 110 participants took part in 18 job training workshops. May is Older Americans Month! CelebratePositive Aging Older Americans Month Learn more.
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