New York, New York, June 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Loyalty Foundation has contracted with Human Rights First (HRF) to provide essential services to asylum seekers in Southern California. Loyalty, a New York-based 501(c)(3), previously donated laptops to Human Rights First’s asylum-seeking clients through its Devices4All program and has now been engaged to provide education support. This educational programming, which kicked off May 24, 2021, consists of 600 hours of tutoring in English (ESL) and math, as well as computer coding classes to begin this summer.
The services are provided as part of Human Rights First’s year-long Vidas sin Fronteras (Life without Borders) program, an innovative service project for asylum-seeking children, families, and transitional-age youth (TAY) ages 18-24. With generous support from the Western Union Foundation, Vidas sin Fronteras will provide yearlong educational, psychosocial, and basic-needs support to children, TAY, and their families in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California.
Participants in Vidas sin Fronteras are Human Rights First’s asylum-seeking clients, including:
- Teenagers from Guatemala who were targeted with gang violence and prevented from going to school, church, or to visit family members for fear of death;
- Honduran women who survived domestic violence in their home country;
- Members of the LGBTQ community in Cameroon harmed by family, classmates, gangs, and police because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; and
- Student activists who fought oppressive regimes in Nicaragua.
"We jumped at the opportunity to partner with Human Rights First and the Western Union Foundation to extend our programming to asylum-seeking youth and their families," says David Neeman, Founder & Chairman of the Loyalty Foundation. "This initiative aligns with our mission to provide services where needs are the greatest, in communities most often overlooked and underserved."
Diana Diaz, Human Rights First's project lead and a social worker on the organization's Refugee Representation team, says, "We are thrilled to be a catalyst for long-term support for our clients throughout the life of their legal case. This process can often take years and involves dramatic life changes."
The Loyalty Foundation's contribution to the project includes ESL and coding classes for kids. The classes, which began in May, will continue through the end of 2021. You can learn more about the Loyalty Foundation and donate to support its programming here.
###
About Loyalty Foundation
The Loyalty Foundation, a nonprofit entity 501(c)(3), was founded in New York in 2019 to introduce and augment technology and education programs in underserved communities ensuring all children, irrespective of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, have equal access to critical educational opportunities. By inspiring and instilling a love of technology, the Loyalty Foundation helps the students it serves to develop the knowledge, skills, and self-esteem they need to succeed in today and tomorrow's economy.
About Human Rights First
Human Rights First is an independent advocacy and action organization that challenges America to live up to its ideals. For over 40 years, the organization has worked to press the U.S. government and private companies to respect human rights and the rule of law. When they fail, Human Rights First steps in to demand reform, accountability, and justice. Human Rights First is based in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.