By Greg B. I bet you never knew, or even never really thought about the fact that many people seek asylum in the USA.  Sure, you’ve seen the movie ‘The Hunt for Red October” and remember that as part of the plot.  Sure, you’ve seen countless numbers of James Bond films, where accomplices seek asylum outside Russia… even the movie “Red Heat’ had Arnold Schwarzenegger coming to the US to find a criminal from Russia, hiding out in the USA.  While the real truth tends to be a lot less like Hollywood and a bit more down to earth, the fact is that there are many people, in many nations, who seek asylum within our borders.  And this Holiday season, why not accomplish part of your necessary shopping and help out those who come to the US for political reasons?

I know I write about food, restaurants, culture, travel and mostly, beer.  But I do enjoy the occasional chance to help out a cause.  We received a fair amount of unique visitors daily on this website and the opportunity to direct some of the readership towards a good cause is always rewarding.  So, lets get down to business.  What is ASHN?  ASHN is a program whereby people may come to the US, receive housing,  casework and social support.  Arriving in a foreign nation unable to work and running from your home government is not an easy thing to undertake.  ASHN tries to make sure this transition to a new location and new life goes smoothly.  It’s a commendable non-profit organization and one that showing my support for really helps me underscore my personal pride in my home nation.

If you’d like to support this cause, you can shop this coming Wednesday December 16th at either of the Ten Thousand Villages stores, one in Fells Point, the other in the Shops of Kenilworth.  15% of your purchased will be donated right to the Asylum Seeker’s Housing Network.  So if you’re looking for that Christmas gift, or already know you need something from a Ten Thousand Villages store, why not pop in this coming Wednesday and get your shopping done, while supporting a good cause?   You will, however, need to have a coupon in order for the 15% to be donated.  So if you can print the following coupon, or print this article then cut out the coupon, you can complete the necessary steps to accomplish the donation.

Below, I’ve included the information from the non-profit about locations, addresses for shopping and other important information.  Further below that, I’ve included a success story demonstrating Asylum Seeker’s Housing Network’s success.  Now get out there and support a great non profit this holiday season!

From the Organization:

On Wednesday, December 16^th, Baltimore Ten Thousand Villages locations will host a Community Shopping Day to benefit the Asylum Seekers Housing Network.  Ten Thousand Villages is a fair trade store that specializes in handicrafts from around the world.  With the attached coupon, the local stores will donate 15% of the purchase price to the Asylum Seekers Housing Network (ASHN.)  ASHN is a Baltimore based program that provides housing and social support to asylum seekers.

Please consider doing your holiday shopping at either the Kenilworth or Fells Point Ten Thousand Villages locations.  Be sure to print out and take along the attached coupon.

Ten Thousand Villages

Shops of Kenilworth

800 Kenilworth Drive

Baltimore, MD 21204

10 am– 9 pm

410 337-5005

Ten Thousand Villages

Fells Point

1621 Thames Street

Baltimore, MD 21231

10 am– 8 pm

410 342-5568

ASHN is program of North Baltimore Mennonite Church which provides housing in community and social support to asylum seekers in the Baltimore/Washington metro area.  Asylum Seekers leave their country of origin because of persecution.  Once in the United States they apply for protection (asylum.)  The asylum process can be very lengthy.  During this process it is very difficult to receive permission to work and asylum seekers are not eligible for government services, which leaves them in a vulnerable situation.  ASHN was started over five years ago to help meet this need and is staffed completely by volunteers and relies upon individual gifts and fundraising opportunities like Community Shopping Day.

To learn more about ASHN, please visit:  www.ashnetwork.org

To learn more about Ten Thousand Villages, please visit: www.tenthousandvillages.com

Success Story:

ASHN recently celebrated five years of providing housing and social support to asylum seekers in the Baltimore/Washington metro area.  We are thankful for the ongoing generous support of donors like you who have made ASHN’s work possible.  Below is the story of Amere, one of our clients who transitioned to independence this year.  We celebrate that Amere is safe and able to rebuild his life and work towards reunification with his family.  We also celebrate that thanks to donors like you, ASHN has been able to provide services that have made it possible for Amere and others to be where they are today.  Thank you for your past generosity and please consider joining ASHN’s Circle of Friends this Holiday Season.

Amere is a medical doctor who worked in hospitals in an East African country for 13 years before going to Belgium to pursue a master’s degree in public health, followed by work for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan. Two months before a national election, Amere returned to his country. Excitement about the election made it an interesting and dangerous time to be home and Amere joined a political party.  As the elections grew closer the government targeted rival parties.  Several days after participating in a rally the police arrested him on his way home from work.  Amere was beaten and questioned for days about his role in the party before being released.

A few months later, armed civilians came to the clinic where he worked and accused him of involvement with the opposition. They made false accusations, beat, and interrogated him. Amere was held in a room with a tortured man who seemed close to death and told to confess or he would end up in the same condition. Afraid of his captors, he agreed to all the charges. He was released on the condition that he report daily to local authorities.  At this point, Amere and his family decided he should leave for the United States. He quietly obtained a visa and a ticket. About one month after his last detention and one week before his scheduled departure, he received a summons to report to the police station on the Monday after his departure date. Believing that this summons was a plot to jail him again, Amere went into hiding until he safely boarded his flight to the US.  Once in the US, Amere was accepted as a client of ASHN and volunteered at a local health clinic until he was granted asylum.  Amere is now working to support himself and to save money to bring his family to join him.  Amere is also studying for his licensing exam so he can rebuild his medical career in the US.

To assist clients such as Amere, ASHN provides integrated services, including:

• Housing in a secure and stable environment;
• Casework and referrals to local resources;
• Connections to volunteer opportunities; and
• A modest stipend and public transportation support.

These services may seem straightforward, basic even, but their impact is significant in transforming lives. It is very difficult for asylum seekers to receive permission to work in the US, and they are not eligible for government services, so they are left in a vulnerable situation. ASHN is the only organization that provides housing to asylum seekers in the Baltimore/Washington metro area.

In order to fill this need, ASHN needs your support. We ask that you consider joining our Circle of Friends today.

ASHN provides the vital support needed by those seeking asylum and are working to establish a new life in the United States.  The need for our services is greater than our current capacity: ASHN must turn away many applicants due to a lack of resources. By joining our Circle of Friends right now, you will directly support our clients, and help us reach more asylum seekers in need of support.

Please join the ASHN Circle Friends today by making a philanthropic investment in new beginnings to help others just like Amere.

Peace and Blessings during this Holiday Season,

Kira Stoltenberg, Chair

on behalf of the ASHN Committee

North Baltimore Mennonite Church