ISAAC

The Interfaith Solidarity and Accompaniment Coalition of Northern Colorado (aka ISAAC) formed in 2017, with Plymouth, its Immigration Team, and its Conference Room playing a huge role in helping that happen.  It is now a vibrant coalition of 15 Faith Communities and dozens of Community Partners, who work together to achieve immigration justice in Northern Colorado.
 
It does this by creating bridges between people of different backgrounds – allies and immigrants – in order to facilitate mutual support and understanding between people who normally would have little contact with one another. Together those partnerships have led to growth in mutuality, joint efforts to meet community needs, and broadly-based advocacy to effect changes in policy and justice-directed legislation at local, state and national levels.
 
ISAAC does this through three broad streams of engagement:
 
1. One is through hosting educational forums and trainings in order to make sure our community is informed about the barriers to access and equity that many immigrants, seasonal workers, asylum seekers and refugees face. Many have been held here at Plymouth, and we call on ISAAC to resource our own Adult Forums and other events as we seek our way as an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation of the UCC.
 
2. ISAAC is well-regarded for its direct assistance projects, many of which involve a partnership between immigrant-led organizations and a congregation. For example, it was ISAAC that brought Fuerza Latina and our Immigration Team together to deliver meals to home-bound immigrant families during the COVID pandemic. Other forms of Accompaniment, many of which have engaged Plymouth support, include:

• An Emergency Fund for families and individuals who experience crises but are blocked from traditional forms of support because of status.
• A Legal Fund that helps DREAMERS, unaccompanied/abused/neglected immigrant minors, and asylum seekers. It also provides access to legal protection and assistance for immigrants who are victims of crimes and helps qualified immigrants obtain Work Authorization.
• A Workforce Fund that helps migrant workers gain new skills and workplace training.
• Cultivamos, a training program that supports immigrant leaders with a stipend as they work to bring their own project ideas to fruition; and
• Adelante, a program that provides immigrant youth and young adults with a stipend and professional development opportunities in a host organization over the summer months.

 
3.  ISAAC also provides training and opportunities for members of Faith Community Partners like Plymouth to fulfill a number of other forms of accompaniment:

• An annual Winter Gear Drive for 100+ Newcomer Youth in Poudre School District as they face their first Colorado winter;
• Helping coordinate and carry out Temporary Shelter for groups of newcomers relocated from the Border, and provide follow-up services for those who remain in the area;
• Coordinating rides for people needing transportation to emergency medical appointments, court appointments and ICE check-ins;
• Developing more neighborhood-based English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development offerings;
• Working towards affordable housing and just policies at the local and state level;
• And much, much more!

 
ISAAC believes that the future of Fort Collins is younger, more diverse and multilingual. It’s vision is that Northern Colorado will continue to thrive and, simultaneously, become more equitable. It believes that everyone in our community, including People of Faith like us, has gifts to offer that can help make that happen.
 
Plymouth’s gifts to ISAAC through our Share The Plate offering this month can help make that vision a reality. We call it “making the reign of God visible.”

Plymouth contributed $853.00 to ISAAC.

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