UMCOR Awards $10K Grant for Notary Clinics for Migrants
The Baltimore-Washington & Peninsula-Delaware (BWCPDC) Area of The United Methodist Church has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) for Standby Guardianship Clinics. This effort seeks to provide notary services for migrant families facing the threat of deportation at no cost to them.
At the heart of this project is a simple but powerful goal: to help families legally appoint trusted guardians for their children by ensuring standby guardianship and power of attorney documents are notarized at no cost. Currently, notary services for these legal documents can cost as much as $600 per family.
The BWCPDC Area plans to utilize our vast network of over 1,000 congregations to roll out this effort in three strategic phases.
The first objective focuses on People Power, engaging congregations, local clinics, and notaries to build a solid foundation for the clinics. Congregations who are willing to host events will be identified, partners will be selected to lead the clinics and work with existing immigration legal service providers such as Just Neighbors and the Immigration Law and Justice Network, and local notaries will be invited to provide services at nominal rates, ensuring sustainability and affordability.
The initiative aims to host up to five clinics each in both the Baltimore-Washington and Peninsula-Delaware Conferences. These clinics will directly assist individuals and families in completing standby guardianship and power of attorney documents, offering notary services free of charge.
The project also includes plans to offer childcare and snacks to individuals who are waiting for their turn during the clinics.
This work builds on past efforts by the Baltimore-Washington Conference, including a previous solidarity grant that helped shelter, feed, and support over 5,000 migrants arriving in Washington, D.C. via bus.
For more information on how you can help, contact Rev. Stacey Cole Wilson.