May/June Beans for Bags Spotlight: Jefferson County Immigrant Rights Advocates (JCIRA)

Our mission is to support the rights of immigrants and their families. We give priority to those who live or work on the Olympic Peninsula and to immigrant detainees in Washington state.
Through our services, we:

• Deliver access to free or low-cost legal aid.

• Offer support to families and assistance finding resources.

• Stand witness to demonstrate our commitment.

• Provide community education.

• Advocate for local, state, and national immigrant issues.

• Give small emergency cash grants for living expenses like rent, food, school fees and more.

One of JCIRA’s goals is for the community we support to become more actively involved, not only by receiving the services available to them but also by participating proactively. A clear example of success is the Women’s Justice Circle, which is learning to advocate for its own needs. Not only have they managed to start a program to help with mental health, but they also developed and presented an anti-bullying campaign for the Port Townsend School District. 

We are very excited about the following programs in 2025:

• The Port Townsend Women's Justice Circle, organized by JCIRA, has advocated for and created a program to provide access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services. Low-income immigrants who do not have access to health insurance, and even those who do, face language barriers. They will have access to 12 free therapy sessions with therapists appropriate for their needs. 

• The participation of immigrants at the Community Garden is a step forward for food self-sufficiency, access to the land and equal access to food. In fact, the funds from the Beans for Bags program will go to supporting and maintaining the garden all year round, the installation of an irrigation system and purchasing garden materials like seeds and plant starts.

• This year, we will be able to provide greater access to legal services through our new legal coordinator. 

New things happening at our organization for 2025 include: 

• More representation of the community we serve on the board of directors. 

• A wide range of new volunteer programs. 

• New volunteer legislation group working at a federal level.

• Small business class for immigrants with grant opportunities. 

A history of our successes:

• Opened a new multicultural center to serve everyone, with assistance for immigrants, asylum seekers and classes available to the community.

• Hired staff, new Center Administrator, Legal Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator who has helped us gain new immigrant volunteers.

• Offered a variety of classes and programs open to all, including ESL classes and Spanish-language classes and provided a space for community gatherings for groups such as and the Jefferson Community Foundation.

• Partnered with other immigrant advocacy groups, such as WAISN and took part in lobbying efforts.

• In collaboration with Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center (KIAC), we are organizing immigration legal clinics every two months.

• Our services have reached not only Jefferson County but also Clallam County, where the immigrant’s community income is even lower and their main source of income comes from salal harvesting. This impacts directly the community because it is a seasonal job.

JCIRA is committed to work not only providing direct services to the community but also to create systemic change. As an example of this, one of our greatest strengths is the partnerships we have established with other organizations. We make sure their services are equitable and that they are reaching this community.

To learn more please visit: https://www.jcira.org/