Justice Beyond Lines
Aiding Local Immigrants
Local Resources
Below is a directory of local resources across the Northwest Connecticut–Eastern New York border region, organized by town. We list services for food, shelter, legal assistance, health care, education/ESL, and community support.
Many of these resources are offered by charities, churches, or town agencies and are open to undocumented individuals. (Where possible, we include the town, contact information, and a brief description.) Using this guide, you can find help in your town or a nearby town.
Towns covered: Lakeville/Salisbury (CT), Canaan/North Canaan/Falls Village (CT), Sharon (CT), Cornwall (CT), Amenia (NY), Millerton (NY), and surrounding areas.
Mission
Our mission is to empower local immigrants and their allies across the Northwest Connecticut–Eastern New York border region by providing clear, compassionate, and locally grounded information about their rights, available resources, workshops and community events, and pathways to security and belonging.
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While national debates over immigration grow louder, too many people in rural areas fall through the cracks, isolated from legal support, mistrustful of institutions, and unaware of the help that does exist. Our work bridges the gap between national immigration knowledge and local support, connecting people to food, shelter, legal aid, healthcare, and community through an accessible and human-centered platform.
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​Rooted in the belief that every person deserves dignity, safety, and opportunity, we strive to uplift stories, educate bystanders, and foster solidarity across rural towns and shared borders.
About the Creator
My name is Jackson, and I’m a senior at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Service has always been a core part of my life, whether organizing donation drives, supporting local nonprofits, or volunteering in the community. Living in a rural area where support is often limited, I’ve seen how important it is to provide clear, practical help with empathy and trust.
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That became especially clear while volunteering at a local food pantry. For months, we served families from all backgrounds, including many undocumented individuals. But after recent elections and rising anti-immigrant rhetoric, attendance dropped. Families I saw every week simply stopped coming.
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I found out they were afraid, afraid that even showing up for food could put them at risk. It was a wake-up call: help doesn’t matter if people don’t feel safe enough to accept it.
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Everyone deserves safety, dignity, and belonging. By supporting local immigrants and their allies across the Northwest Connecticut–Eastern New York border region, we’re helping to create a community that sees, values, and protects every one of its members.
Volunteer With Us
We welcome local volunteers to help share resources, support immigrant neighbors, and strengthen ally networks. Typical roles include flyer distribution, quick community research, and light website updates.
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We also partner with community groups (other nonprofits have co-hosted events and collaborated on outreach with us) to connect more people with reliable support.
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Contact jackson@justicebeyondlines.org to get involved.
Quick Stats:
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“16.2% of CT residents are foreign-born.” map.americanimmigrationcouncil.org
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“~60,700 Drive-Only licenses issued in CT (lets undocumented residents drive legally).” Connecticut Public
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“Undocumented CT residents paid ~$406M in state & local taxes (2022).” NBC Connecticut
Advisors to Justice Beyond Lines - Adult Local Leaders
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John Carter
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Lisa Sheble
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Sophia Deboer
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Lee DeBoer
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Amy Lake
The Justice Beyond Lines Team - (diverse multi-grade group high school students):
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Founder and President – Jackson Grace
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Website manager – Kevin Liuru
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Outreach Coordinator – Arva Motwane
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Research Aide – Annabelle Grace