You’ve heard of the butterfly effect? The mere act of a butterfly moving its wings has an effect on the air in another place! The principle of 'cause and effect' applies everywhere, including tutoring. I get as much, or more, out of this tutoring endeavor than my students do! I enjoy introducing my students to a little treat I baked in the kitchen, or having coffee with my student to break up the routine where we have casual conversation and build friendships, or giving my pregnant student a baby blanket I made for her. If I weren’t tutoring, I wouldn’t be on the receiving end of a student’s relative explaining something about Russian culture to me, and I wouldn’t have the delight of watching my student from Afghanistan “catch” the enthusiasm she needs to learn English and build a solid future for herself and her family here. With tutoring, I deepen my understanding of other cultures and the struggles of immigrants and refugees. I develop the empathy they need from me to help them. My world gets larger and my appreciation for the blessings I enjoy here in this country increases. We as tutors can diminish, if only a tiny bit, the pain and suffering in this world! All I’m doing is helping someone conjugate the verb “to be”!!!! But tutoring is a 'big deal.’ And it can profoundly affect innumerable people and places!!!!

- Rebecca, Volunteer

With St. James Immigrant Assistance, you can:

• Volunteer with refugee support, tutoring and more
• Sponsor a citizenship client
• Contribute items for Welcome Backpacks that we share with newcomers
• Donate clothing or household items to St. Francis House where clients can shop monthly, at no cost. Visit the St. Francis House Website.

• Contact your state and federal representatives. Text your zip code to 520-200-2223 to receive a text with your Congressional and State representatives contact numbers. See "How to get through to Congress" and learn how to be most effective when calling.
• Find your representative.
• Use Resistbot. Text "resist" to 50409. Provide your name, zip code, and a message to send to your senators. Resistbot will format it to look professional and fax it to both of your senators. Want to fax your representatives as well? Provide your full address.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.
• Volunteer with your local representative through their office. Find a local politician who represents the change you want to see in your community, contact their office to figure out how you can get involved. Your state, city and county have party headquarters where you can volunteer. They often have opportunities for stay-at-home digital activism.
• Encourage letters of solidarity and support. Ask your school's principal or school board, city and county council members, or any organization or group that you are part of to publish a letter of support or solidarity.

Your donations help us to provide immigrants and refugees with access to materials, legal services, well-trained volunteers, and qualified staff at no cost.

Donate online

Or mail your donation to:
St. James Immigrant Assistance
804 Ninth Avenue
Seattle WA 98104

Make your check or money order out to "St. James Cathedral Immigrant Assistance". Your donation is tax deductible and all proceeds solely support the work of the St. James Immigrant Assistance program.