Rio Texas Methodist Federation for Social Action

A ministry in the Austin District of the Southwest Texas Conference of the UMC

“but let justice roll down like the waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream” – Amos 5:24

The board of the Austin Region Justice for Our Neighbors (ARJFON) is pleased to announce we have approval from the national JFON to begin operation of a legal aid clinic in Austin. The Austin Region JFON (ARJFON) legal aid clinic will be held at Servant Church (located at Asbury UMC) in partnership with Parker Lane UMC and Westlake UMC. Additional clinics will be added as resources become available. The goal is to hire an attorney by the middle of January.

Justice for Our Neighbors is a network of legal clinics whose goal is to provide hospitality and compassion to low-income immigrants through free or low cost immigration legal services, advocacy, and education.

JFON is a non-profit ministry, with a staff attorney working with volunteers to serve immigrants by:

• reuniting families;
• helping women escape domestic violence and live safely in the US;
• assisting asylum seekers, survivors of human trafficking, and college-age children to establish their immigration status; and,
• enabling eligible individuals to attain work authorization, maintain or advance their immigration status or work toward citizenship.  See the national JFON website at njfon.org for more information.

At the request of Bishop James E. Dorff, a development team formed an Austin Region Board of Directors with members representing various UMC Austin District churches and possessing a range of skills. The initial annual budget will be in the neighborhood of $130,000. The board is on target to meet half of the budget by January 1, but we need some help with individual donations to match a grant of $10,000 from the national organization.

If you can help before the end of the year, make checks payable to ARJFON and mail to ARJFON c/o Dr. William Cain, 3600 Brownwood Drive, Austin, TX 78759. For more information, contact Helen Harkreader at helen.harkreader@gmail.com.

All donations will be tax deductible and a receipt will be given.