Save the Children trustee Jennifer Garner visited children in a shelter in Deming, NM.
Bad news seems easy to come by these days. From natural disasters to man-made crises, the torrent of upsetting press can feel overwhelming. But whenever you start to feel this pressure, it always helps to remember that you can do something about it. In fact, there are many ways that you can make a tangible difference for people who are affected by tragedies and hardship.
Right now, one of the most heartbreaking topics in the news is the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border. Every day, new stories emerge about the thousands of children who are in desperate need of care and relief.
Though you might not be able to travel to the border yourself and lend a literal hand to those children and families in need, there are ways that you can be effective from home.
Here are three ways that you can make a real, tangible difference for those children:
Use your voice
Recently, the Trump administration announced plans to introduce new rules that would allow the government to keep migrant children and families in custody for longer than 20 days. Research shows that detention has long-term negative effects on the social, emotional and mental well-being of a child. Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) makes it easy to take action against this plan – all it needs is some basic information to connect you to your lawmakers and then it sends the message for you. It only takes a few minutes to use your voice for kids!
Donate to Save the Children
Save the Children staff are currently at the border providing lifesaving care to children who’ve endured trauma, dangerous voyages and so much more. Save the Children is a leader in this space. They’ve protected and advocated for vulnerable children for 100 years now. As part of this work, they opened a child-friendly space in Deming, New Mexico, a border town that many families transition through during their journey to asylum. The center offers children a safe space to play, relax, read – to just be a kid! You can support Save the Children’s work in the U.S. and at the border by donating today to the United States Programs Support fund.
Amplify the good news
Despite all of the heartache, there are a lot of good people who are working to make a difference for these children and their families. One of those people is Save the Children trustee Jennifer Garner, who visited Save the Children programs at the border last week with NBC News to highlight the children’s needs on the national level. You can help spread the word by sharing the news segment on social media and email.
These are just a few examples of ways that you – a single person – can make a real impact in the lives of vulnerable kids and families at the U.S. border. Though it can sometimes feel like it, we’re never voiceless when it comes to helping children. Will you join us?