OC Immigrant and Refugee Liberty Fund
Los Angeles, California - Ca Care Association - The OC Immigrant and Refugee Liberty Fund provides opportunities for individuals to “know, use, and shape” the laws as they navigate the challenging immigration system. The fund empowers immigrants and refugees by providing them with access to legal representation, advocacy services, and basic needs. This allows them to avoid unjust deportation, transfers, detention, or incarceration, giving them a fair chance.
Immigrants compose a large part of Orange County’s population, particularly those from Mexico, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Korea. The OC Immigrant and Refugee Liberty Fund envisions a community where every person can be a strong advocate for their rights and dignity, and with the following as its main goals:
Goal #1: Legal empowerment becomes a leading approach in Orange County
Goal #2: Increased Access to Legal Representation
Goal #3: Empowered Communities
Goal #4: Reduced Fear and Vulnerability
Goal #5: Strengthened Community Resilience
The OC Immigrant and Refugee Liberty Fund is a collaboration between Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, the Weingart Foundation, Orange County Grantmakers, legal experts, community organizations, and philanthropic partners. It is focused on immigrants and refugees in Orange County, particularly District 2, which is composed of Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Anaheim).
How can this help you?
1. An empowered community
The community is empowered to participate in initiatives such as know-your-rights education, trainings, and advocacies. They are the ones on the ground who see the realities of unjust deportation or incarceration. By having the knowledge of the law and the system, they can advocate for their loved ones or those who are directly affected by unjust deportation.
2. Accessible legal support
The Liberty Fund promotes community paralegals & legal navigators, pro se legal clinics for self-representation, accompaniment to court and ICE check-ins, and hotlines for rapid response. Through these, immigrants and refugees can seek assistance without fear and vulnerability.
3. Workforce stability and security
The Liberty Fund allows immigrants to be secure in their careers and industry by not leaving them defenseless against unjust deportation. Employees can continue working on their careers, and employers are not faced with shortages in their workforce where the majority are immigrants.
How can you get involved?
The Liberty Fund gives resources to develop legal empowerment and community organizations to address the needs and challenges of immigrants. The Charitable Ventures of OC serves as the fiscal administrator, and the Orange County Grantmakers serves as the administrator. It is governed through a collaborative structure where a Grant Selection Review Committee is responsible for evaluating and recommending funding decisions based on the Liberty Fund’s mission.
You can get involved in this initiative by contacting the OC Grantmakers at info@oclibertyfund.org
