Operation: Esperanza

Mission: Community Sourcing of Christmas gifts for kids affected by ICE

Goal: Provide Christmas gifts for TEN families in the community.

Imagine this. You're six years old. You were born in Mexico, but you don't remember it. Washington has been home as long as you knew what home was. You're a working class family, but you have what you need. Now it's December and mom and dad are nervous all the time. They have tried to understand why the family next door is suddenly gone, but you don't really get it. Now dad says it's not safe to go to work anymore. Everything is chaotic.

Will there even be a Christmas this year?

When times are too hard for kids to process, they need normal. They need hope (en español, esperanza). Hope that things will be ok again. That their family will come through this.

Cascade Forward is working with local families affected by ICE. We have found families with children and have gotten Christmas lists from the kids. The goal is to find donors for specific gift items so we can get them to those kids. We will also take cash donations so we can cover any missing items.

If we all work together we can bring hope and genuine joy to children who are going through a harder time than any child ever should.

Background: The Trump administration has succeeded in the only campaign promise it could: extremely regressive, destructive policies that ruin life for everyone but the rich. In keeping with their solemn oath to offend every principle of goodness in the last two thousand years, the decision to begin rounding up everyone of latin descent, regardless of documentation status, came right at the holidays.

People are staying at home for fear of being kidnapped by masked thugs. Some can't work because they'll be picked up on the way to work. That means tight budgets. In houses with kids. At Christmas.

MAGA has decided to honor Christ by stealing parents away from their children. We choose to honor the spirit of this season with kindness toward those same children.