In 2017, MIC began organizing faith communities to provide support to immigrant families who have a loved one who is detained or deported. This support can include advocacy, spiritual/emotional accompaniment, logistical help (food, transportation, rental assistance, clothing, etc.), legal observers, and hospitality housing.

The model is to provide resources, education, a toolkit, and a network of support for each congregation. With that assistance, each congregation conducts an internal process to determine their call to support the immigrant community, what this support will look like for them, who their individual volunteers are, and who will be their contact person.

All of that information is managed in one central location. A liaison from the faith community will receive requests for support from local nonprofits (like Canal Alliance and Multicultural Center of Marin, which is managing the county’s immigrant rapid response network). That liaison then coordinates connecting the family in need with an appropriate congregation(s). Congregations can also reach out to each other when additional resources are needed for an immigrant family they are supporting.

The program also includes holding solidarity rallies with congregations and members of the immigrant community coming together for prayer, music, sharing stories, and engaging more volunteers/congregations. 

The network meets monthly in San Rafael. If you would like more information on the network, please contact Rev. Lynn Oldham Robinett at office@marinifc.org or 415.456.6957.

Congregations that are currently active participants in the Network of Accompaniment Congregations include:

Community Church of Mill Valley

Community Congregational Church - Tiburon

Congregation Kol Shofar

Congregation Rodef Sholom

First Congregational Church San Rafael

First Presbyterian Church San Rafael

Novato United Methodist Church

Redwoods Presbyterian Church Larkspur

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Marin

Westminster Presbyterian Church