To the editor:

The holiday season is upon us and the spirit of giving is in the air. The Kitsap Immigrant Assistant Center or “KIAC” serves the immigrant communities of Kitsap County and beyond. In 2018, KIAC assisted 1,145 individuals in accessing local services and institutions and providing badly needed legal representation for clients facing deportation or applying for other benefits such as lawful permanent residency or naturalization.

In today’s climate, the demand for these types of services is even greater. 7.4 percent of Bainbridge Island’s population is foreign born. Immigrants make up 7 percent of the Kitsap County. Our community benefits directly from immigrants working in many different capacities be they professional, in the skilled trades, caring for our children and elderly, washing dishes or mowing our yards.

As a volunteer immigration attorney and later as a member of KIAC’s board, I have witnessed and been awed by the tenacity, dedication, generosity and love practiced by our staff, volunteers and donors. Those who serve others are rewarded in knowing that they have touched the lives of those members of our community who are most vulnerable and in need.

Please donate your time and/or your dollars to KIAC, a wonderful organization, that seeks to empower our immigrant neighbors.

LARRY CHIN

Bainbridge Island