Habitat CEO: End family separation policy at border immediately
ATLANTA (June 19, 2018) — Habitat for Humanity International’s CEO Jonathan Reckford today joined a call for an immediate end to the family separation policy being implemented at the U.S. border. Reckford and leaders from 13 other major nonprofit organizations are urging the “Trump administration to immediately stop this wrong and immoral policy.”
Reckford said: “As news of this situation has heightened in recent days, I have found my heart and thinking guided and anchored by Habitat’s first mission principle that calls on us to ‘demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ,’ and by the words of Jesus in Mark 12:30-31: ‘“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’”
The statement issued today by the nonprofit leaders follows:
Statement from 14 of the nation’s largest nonprofit CEOs:
Administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy harmful to children
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2018) — In a statement from 14 CEOs from some of the nation’s largest and most influential human service nonprofits, nonprofit leaders noted:
“Separating immigrant children from their parents when they come to the border should never be a part of American policy. On behalf of the human services sector, representing more than 5 million staff and volunteers, we call on the Trump administration to immediately stop this wrong and immoral policy, that has resulted in more than 2000 children being needlessly separated from their parents while their parents are being processed at our borders. Furthermore, we call on the U.S. Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement to take immediate steps to restore connections between the infants, toddlers and teens who are currently in custody and their family members who are awaiting processing, including regular visitation and communication. The standards of care for these children must be equal to that expected in our current child welfare system, which at a minimum, should include access to a safe environment appropriate for families, age-appropriate services including education, trauma-informed mental and other health services, and family-based legal and immigration counseling. We urge the administration and Congress to immediately put into place the laws, processes and resources that will ensure the health, safety and well-being of children and not be harmful and traumatizing to them, and stand ready to work with them to implement such policies. We must ensure all of our actions are grounded in the humanitarian values we have long held as a nation.”
Signers include: Susan Dreyfus, President and CEO of Alliance for Strong Families and Communities; Nancy Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heart Association; Sister Donna Markham, President and CEO of Catholic Charities USA; Michael Brown, Chief Executive Officer of City Year; Matthew M. Knott, President of Feeding America; Sylvia Acevedo, Chief Executive Officer of Girl Scouts of the USA; Judy Vredenburgh, President and CEO of Girls Incorporated; Jonathan Reckford, Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity International; Charlotte Haberaecker, President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America; Paul Gionfriddo, President and CEO of Mental Health America; James Firman, President and CEO of National Council on Aging; Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide; Michael King, President of Volunteers of America; and Alejandra Castillo, Chief Executive Officer of YWCA USA.
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.