A Manatee County church is helping immigrant families with food donations

As immigration enforcement ramped up under President Donald Trump's second term, many immigrants have become afraid to leave their homes.

That's why members of the Church of the Trinity MCC started the program "Food for Our Neighbors."

They're collecting non-perishable food, as well as household goods like diapers and hygiene products, to give to families in need. There's also the option to donate money directly on their website.

Since the Manatee County congregation launched the effort, Rev. Collis Laton said support has poured in.

"We sent out word to our church, we sent out word to local organizations that we partner with and the response has been overwhelming," said Laton. "We have people who have donated to this drive from as far away as Colorado."

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She said while many of the church's members showed support, a majority of donors are actually not affiliated with the Church of the Trinity MCC. Local non-profits have also stepped up to donate in bulk, she said.

Laton said she believes "Food for Our Neighbors" has opened a door for people looking to help those affected by immigration policies.

"The biggest thing I hear from people is that they have felt during this time in our world and in our country that there's nothing they can do," said Laton, "almost every person who I've interacted with about [the program] has said, 'Finally, this is something I can do.'"

In Florida, where state leaders vowed to support the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts, the immigration crackdown has been severe. Local law enforcement, as well as state agencies such as the Florida Highway Patrol, are required to aid federal immigration agents.

Those in the country without legal status aren't able to obtain a driver's license in the state, making them more vulnerable to arrest and risk being swept up by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Often, the path to detention is one traffic stop away.

But the current administration’s practices have shown that even those who are adjusting their immigration status, or those who have applied for asylum, are at risk of deportation. Oftentimes, those people are detained at mandated immigration check-ins.

The result, community members say, is people are self-isolating. Some are too afraid to even drive to the grocery store. Others, who are working less or have stopped working, can't afford to put food on the table.

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Churchgoer Douglas Berger is one of the volunteers who helps deliver packages to those families.

"People are making a choice not to go out because of fear, and being hungry. It's just a sad commentary on where we are," he said.

Laton emphasized that they do not ask people about their immigration status for their safety. Some households, Laton said, can be mixed-status, meaning some members have legal status, whereas others don’t. There are also people who are in need because of a disability rather than an immigration-related issue.

Volunteers and community activists who interact with the families directly said many have been touched by recent immigration policies in some way.

Often, a parent or a main breadwinner in the household has been detained or deported, said Janalee Heinemann, another church member and volunteer. These donations are one way to fill in the gap, she said.

“I think many of us feel like there's so many awful things going on in our country right now, and we've done a lot of protests, but we felt like we need to do something more hands-on,” said Heinemann. “You're overwhelmed with not knowing how you can make a difference, but this is something tangible we can do to make a difference.”

Laton said the group is currently serving over 80 households. She said neighboring churches are working to join the effort as well.

How to donate: https://www.trinitymcc.com/justice