Off to a great start, thanks to you

Welcome to the inaugural blog post for ACtS United!

Here we will be sharing recaps of our events, highlights, personal reflections, and more on our journey through the tumultuous terrain of starting a nonprofit organization.

When we thought of opening a nonprofit dedicated to serving immigrant communities, we knew we had a lot of work cut out for us. As three young women fresh out of university, the only certain weapons at our disposal were our wits and our gumption. We had no idea what resources would be needed, what forms needed to be filed, and where we would get financial support, if any at all. There are challenges in opening a nonprofit at any time, but especially so in the midst of a culmination of health, racial, social, and economic crises. It would have been easiest to listen to the survivalist part of our minds that tells us not to take risks and move on. However, we knew there was a new world waiting to be built-- at least in part by us-- and we owed it to our community and ourselves to at least try.

So we did what anyone can do: We got started. Brainstorming sessions turned into solidified plans and those plans turned into actions. We had checklists and spreadsheets and set goals. Now all we needed was a way to enact them. We were able to fill out some paperwork ourselves and get by on our own with some tasks, but knowing your limits and when you should ask for help is a useful skill for all facets of life. Useful, but not necessarily easy. Whether it’s with their time, finances, or other resources, I personally have trouble asking others for help and-- call it pride, stubbornness, or societally ingrained foolishness-- I often end up doing things myself. However, this process has shown me that this is no way to live. To function in a truly cyclical, symbiotic relationship, we will need the community’s support in order to serve the community itself.

After reaching out to our networks within the community, we were overwhelmed by the response we received. People were willing to share their skills with us free of charge, donate to cover our paperwork fees, and cheer us on along the way. I am writing this the day after we reached our goal of $700 for October 2020. In the grand scheme of things, it may not seem like much to some, but with this money, we will be able to file necessary government forms that will guarantee us more opportunities for the future. Just as, if not more, importantly, it has shown each one of us that we are not alone in this endeavor and we couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who sent us messages of encouragement, followed and shared our social media, and especially to those who donated to our cause. We hope to make you proud of the work we do.

Much like the immigrant narrative, our journey is one rooted in the fervor of determination, turbulent unpredictability, and sparks of joy in the midst of it all. And we can’t wait to share it with you. Join us by following our blog/social media, volunteering, or donating, and feel free to let us know what you would like to read next.

Until next time!

- Alice, Co-founder & CEO

"There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about."

- Margaret J. Wheatley