In the spirit of giving, we at Health By Principle wanted to do something to give back to our community. One of the most pressing issues that has arisen from the COVID-19 pandemic is food insecurity.
Food insecurity: “a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life” - NPR
Food insecurity is by no means a new problem here in the United States, but it became significantly worse throughout this past year. After much discussion, we decided to team up with Kids In Need of Defense (KIND) to make a $1,000 donation to provide food for immigrant and refugee children in Los Angeles.
If you haven’t heard about KIND before, we suggest you check out their website and learn more! KIND is the leading national organization advocating for the rights of unaccompanied migrant and refugee children in the U.S. They connect unaccompanied minors with effective legal representation and other services to help them navigate through immigration court. Although the path is still difficult for these children to gain asylum and the right to remain in the United States, KIND makes these goals possible. KIND helps these children feel supported and less alone, especially during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives.
At Health By Principle, we are driven by the idea that we all can take steps towards living a healthier lifestyle. This could be incorporating regular exercise into your routine, practicing self-care and awareness, or eating a proper diet. With our $1,000 donation, we were able to provide grocery gift cards for 10 immigrant families working with KIND.
KIND Social Services Coordinator, Alejandra Quintero, expressed that “the generous donation received from Health By Principle allows for 10 of our clients, and their families, to enjoy a holiday meal knowing that members of their new communities care and support them. These are more than a gift card, but a reminder that our clients are not alone.”
So why did we decide to support KIND, and why do we encourage that you do the same?
KIND has an amazing network of workers around the United States that work hard to advocate for their clients. They not only tackle the legal issues facing immigrant children, but they also take a holistic approach to addressing the needs of these children. They provide mental and social services, advocate for policy change, and educate the broader public about the social issues. Since its founding in 2008, KIND has received over 860,000 donated hours and around $450 million in donated legal services. Even more astounding is that they have maintained a high success rate for their completed cases, finishing out 2019 with a 93% success rate.
Health By Principle takes the health and wellbeing of children seriously. Children are the future. If we want to continue building a more positive and inclusive world, we need to invest our time and care into our future. In the words of our President and Founder, Daniel Stanton, “As a father and a fellow human, I consider our next generations to be our most important assets. We as a community must invest in our assets so that they can grow, flourish and provide even better support for future generations.”
To find out more about how KIND supports its community, feel free to check out their Resources and Blogs. They provide a wealth of information about the different aspects involved with the KIND approach.
We hope you all have a safe and fantastic holiday season!