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February 18, 2010 New York
Two weeks following the earthquake, Robin Hood made an emergency grant to help 2,750 Haitians living in New York City to work and live legally in the United States.
The after-effects of Haiti’s devastating earthquake reverberate well beyond the shores of this ravaged nation, to those living overseas at risk of being deported back to the debilitated country. U.S. officials estimate that about 150,000 Haitians live in this country illegally, with another 30,000 facing imminent deportation. And New York City is home to the highest concentration of undocumented Haitians in the nation. Many live in poverty.
The new Robin Hood grant has been awarded to the Legal Aid Society and New York Legal Assistance Group (Nylag), two long-time grantees that provide free legal services to low-income families. It builds upon recent federal legislation granting temporary protected status (T.P.S.) to Haitian immigrants already living in this country. In essence, the legislation allows eligible Haitian immigrants living in the United States to obtain legal status and freely live and work in this country for the next 18 months.
This grant, on the heels of the recent tragedy in Haiti, funds three and a half full-time attorneys and paralegals. The goals of the initiative are as follows:
- Giving Haitian immigrants improved job and housing opportunities and access to public benefits
- Increasing the likelihood of their obtaining permanent legal status
- Keeping families intact at a time when so many have been torn by personal tragedy
- Providing temporary refuge for Haitian immigrants whose personal safety would be endangered by returning to Haiti.
- Building upon a private/public partnership recently announced by the Bloomberg administration to partner with private law firms, community groups and city agencies to help thousands of undocumented Haitian New Yorkers apply for temporary legal status
In related news, Robin Hood’s executive director David Saltzman joined the advisory committee of Hope for Haiti Now (HFHN), to help oversee the distribution of funds for both immediate disaster relief and reconstruction and recovery efforts in Haiti. On February 5, 2010, Hope for Haiti Now announced the distribution of $35 million as the first installment of funds raised through the January 22nd telethon: "Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief."
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