On September 25, 2024, Legal Aid of North Carolina will hold its annual Day of Giving, a critical moment for supporting some of the most vulnerable members of our community. This year, we are asking you to direct your generosity to our team, the Immigration Pathways for Victims (IMMPAV) team. IMMPAV is a team of advocates that offers essential legal services to low-income immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. These survivors face unimaginable challenges and have often endured traumatic hardships—yet they are trying to rebuild their lives in safety by seeking work permits, green cards, and citizenship to secure safety and stability for themselves and their families. Your donation will help ensure they have the legal representation they need to enjoy the rights and obtain the benefits they are entitled to under the law, but would otherwise be unable to afford.

After getting the Bona Fide Determination in their U visa case, one IMMPAV minor client is now eligible for Medicaid. With medical insurance, the typical childhood illnesses will get proper medical treatment. The medical care costs will not shoulder the family with incredible debt. Also, the child can be healthy and ready to learn at school, not plagued by unaddressed health issues which have broad implications for kids and their well-being. In a collaborative win for the client, after IMMPAV received the Bona Fide Determination, the Medicaid Appeals Technical Team (MATT team) was able to advocate with the Department of Social Services on behalf of the child so that they received the health insurance they needed and were entitled to.

For the Domestic Violence survivor who was living in the shelter, and now has their work permit and social security number as a result of their approved Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition, stable housing is more attainable, and we see the IMMPAV difference.

When an IMMPAV client, a child trafficking survivor, is now an adult living on her own, going to community college and soon to be reunited with her family, we see the IMMPAV difference.

When the trafficking survivor and mother of five U.S. citizen children can now rest easy knowing her future lies here, safe with her children, we see the IMMPAV difference.

When you give to Legal Aid of NC on our Annual Day of Giving, you are directly contributing to the fight for justice. Our brave clients have cooperated with law enforcement, often at great personal risk, to ensure public safety for all of us. Yet without the critical services that our program provides, they would have no one to help them navigate a complex and intimidating legal system. Your support will give them the tools they need to move forward, allowing them to access life-changing benefits like work permits, social security numbers, and driver’s licenses—fundamentals that help them and their children build a better life here in North Carolina.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are tragically common, but the dedication, persistence, and excellence of the team at *Immigration Pathways for Victims* is anything but. Our skilled attorneys are true Justice Warriors, tirelessly advocating for immigrant survivors who are our neighbors, friends, and fellow North Carolinians. With your help, we can continue to stand beside them, offering legal guidance and fighting to ensure that they have access to justice. Your gift will empower these survivors to breathe free, whether that is to drive their children to school without fear, to make ends meet without their abuser through their first good-paying job, or through the many other ways one can fully participate in the promise of the American Dream.

On this Day of Giving, we invite you to give generously so that we can meet and exceed our fundraising goals and propel this critical work into the next year. Your contribution will make an immediate, lasting impact on the lives of immigrant survivors, helping them access the legal services they desperately need to find safety and security. Together, we can create a more just and equitable North Carolina for all.

In solidarity and with gratitude,

IMMPAV

Our team includes:

Jessica Alatorre

Leah Arnold

Anna Cushman

Amanda Hinnant

Andrea Johnson

Rona Karacaova

Patricia Lalangui-Dykstra

Dora MacDonald

TeAndra Miller

Jalal Nadimi

Cara Palmer

Jennifer Robinson

Heather Ziemba