ABOUT US

Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest (AIDNW) was formed in 2009 out of the NW Detention Center roundtable bimonthly community meetings, where concerned community members, representatives of advocacy groups, social service agencies, faith-based organizations, Congressional liaisons, and immigration officials met to consider immigration and immigration detention issues. Participants shared their knowledge and experience, and worked to provide practical assistance to detained immigrants and to increase awareness of the Detention Center now called the Northwest ICE Processing Center.

Our History

Volunteers for AIDNW began providing regular services in 2014. They worked out of their cars, offering backpacks, clothing, snacks, telephone connection and transportation to released immigrants. Later that year an old RV became the first AIDNW Welcome Center.

In 2017, a part-time Volunteer Coordinator was hired, and services expanded and improved. An updated Hospitality House provided rooms for an office and short-term accommodation for immigrants. The Visitation Program gained a coordinator, and a new, larger RV became the AIDNW Welcome Center. By October 2022, AIDNW had its first Executive Director and over 200 volunteers.

Our Vision

A welcoming community that affirms the dignity of all immigrants

Our Mission

AIDNW supports immigrants in detention and welcomes them on their release

Now Hiring:

Office and Program Supervisor
Bookkeeper

MEET OUR STAFF

Lynette Crumity

Lynette Crumity

Executive Director

Lynette Roberts-Crumity is a seasoned fundraiser having served a number of nonprofits throughout the South Sound in her career. Examples range from KBTC Public Television, MetroParks Tacoma, United Way of King County, Tacoma Community College Foundation and YMCA Pierce County. Her purpose, mission, and passion for fundraising have been on the front line, with a focus on individual and corporate giving, special events, grants, and annual giving. She has dedicated herself to fighting systemic racism; showcasing the values of continuously embracing equity, diversity, and inclusion both internally and externally; as well as fighting injustices that under-resourced populations face, within the sphere of her work. She is proud to be a voice for those who are often invisible and unheard in society and therefore woefully under-served.

Frankling Mercado

Frankling Mercado

Host Coordinator

I left Nicaragua in May of 2018 and made the journey to the United States to seek political asylum. In December of 2018, I crossed the border and was placed in ICE Detention in Arizona and then transferred to the Tacoma Northwest Ice Processing Center. With the help of Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) attorneys, in April of 2019 I was awarded asylum and released. I was worried because I had nowhere to go but the AIDNW volunteers at the Welcome Center assured me that I could stay at the Hospitality House. The AIDNW manager connected me to World Relief and after two weeks they found permanent housing and a job for me. In July of 2021, I came back to the Hospitality House to live and work as the host coordinator. I love working with all the people who come to stay at the house, and I strive to give them the same care that AIDNW gave to me.

Aidan Perkinson

Aidan Perkinson

Interim Volunteer Coordinator

Aidan Perkinson grew up in the coastal town of Brunswick, Maine and recently graduated from the University of Puget Sound with an undergraduate degree in sociology-anthropology. He has always been passionate about social justice issues, which is what initially drew him to AIDNW. Since he was first involved as a volunteer, his passion for the work AIDNW does has only grown. In his free time, he enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, sailing, kayaking, and doing other outdoor activities! He also loves all animals, most especially dogs.

Sydney Phelps

Sydney Phelps

Grant Writer

I interned at AIDNW for the summer of 2021 and joined the team again in June 2023. I graduated from the University of Washington Tacoma with bachelor’s degrees in Criminal Justice and Spanish Language & Cultures in August 2021. I’ve had a passion for the Spanish language since I studied abroad in Peru during high school; I have been studying Spanish for about ten years. I work for AIDNW because our work here is necessary. We fill a gap in services that the government does not provide. Immigrants come here seeking asylum and looking for a better life and are released on the streets without any resources. Our Welcome Center volunteers are there to greet them and help them make travel arrangements. I believe that our country is only as great as our most vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, and I am dedicating my career to helping them.

OUR TEAM

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Caitlin Boline

Dr. Caitlin Boline

Board Chair

Caitlin Boline, Ed.D. is proud to serve the community of AIDNW. As a previous teacher, principal, and district ESL administrator, her work with immigrant and diverse populations inspires her to lean deeper into this work within her community. She is proud to serve alongside such a focused, caring board and highly appreciates our most valuable asset: our incredible staff and volunteers.
Caitlin holds a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California where she also teaches classes that support the education of diverse students. She currently works for LEGO Education where she supports school district leaders to offer accessible and hands-on learning for ALL students. In her free time, she loves exploring Tacoma with her husband and daughter.

Mary Clare Benson

Mary Clare Benson

Board Secretary

Mary Clare Benson joined the AIDNW Board after serving several years on the Finance Committee and I continue to do volunteer work for AIDNW delivering crafts and deportation bags to the Detention Center. She is a Northwest native, born in Seattle, with school years through High School in Tumwater. She graduated from Seattle University with a degree in Business Administration and passed the CPA exam two years later, working in accounting and finance roles for 35 years before retiring.

Mary Clare lived and worked in Seattle until she moved to Tacoma eight years ago to be closer to her son and his growing family. She had been following news about the Detention Center and the mission of AIDNW before moving to Tacoma and is now glad to find herself able to volunteer and contribute to the necessary work that we do in this community.

Mary Carstensen

Mary Carstensen

Board Treasurer

Mary’s background includes 27 years in the Army - leading healthcare professionals and institutions, culminating in building a program for the war’s most severely injured and wounded to support their and their caregivers’ many transitions. She has built several nonprofits and businesses to include the Bob Woodruff Foundation and an intermediary to support over 130 communities across the country serving military, veterans and their families. Mary joined Advocates in Detention Northwest in November 2023 and also volunteers with several other nonprofits here in the Pacific Northwest and on the East Coast.

Dr. Louisa Beal

Dr. Louisa Beal

Board Member

Louisa Beal, DVM received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Washington State University in 1984. Dr. Beal practiced general medicine and behavior as owner of Brown’s Point Veterinary Clinic for ten years before selling the practice to found Veterinary Behavior Consultations in 1996. She was an instructor in the Veterinary Assistant Program at Renton Technical College for more than ten years.
Dr. Beal has retired from seeing clients and continues to provide behavior and behavioral medicine support to veterinarians throughout the Puget Sound. She currently serves on the board of NOAH’s Pet Project. NPP offers free vaccines and health care for those who cannot afford these services. She is also Executive Director of Radio Tacoma which airs on KTAH-LP 101.9 FM. Recordings from her radio show “Ain’t Misbehaving” are available at http://radiotacoma.org/archives/.

Ben Jones

Ben Jones

Board Member

Bio and coming soon!

Tony Nausid

Tony Nausid

Board Member

Tony, a proud Tacoma native and Stadium High School alumnus of three generations, earned his B.A. degree in Communications with a focus in Advertising and Marketing from Washington State University in 2001.

Driven by a profound belief in human kindness and the pursuit of growth opportunities, Tony joined the Board of Directors of AIDNW in the spring of 2023. His alignment with AIDNW’s core values underscores his lifelong commitment to amplifying the voices of those in need of friendship, stability, and freedom. Through AIDNW, Tony passionately contributes to the transformative journey of individuals seeking a brighter future in America, navigating the challenges of detention with empathy and support.

Outside of his altruistic endeavors, Tony cherishes moments with his beloved wife and two children above all. Whether cheering on soccer teams or attending ballet performances, he finds solace in family time. Tony’s diverse interests include gardening, culinary exploration, fishing, hiking, and immersing himself in the breathtaking landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. You might even spot him kayaking in the Sound, exploring secluded beaches, or teeing it up on the golf course.

Special thanks go to past Board Chairs for their dedication, vision, and guidance:
Len Johnson
Tim Chen
Bill Tudor
Vanessa de Veritch Woodside
Peggy Herman

VOLUNTEERS
More than 200 community members give their time, talent, and treasure to AIDNW every month. We couldn’t do what we do without them!

ADVISORS
Jennifer Evans Gardner, CEO NextJen PR

LEARN MORE ABOUT VOLUNTEERING

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

GRANTORS
BECU-People Helping People Award 2019
Cheney Foundation
Gary E. Milgard Foundation
Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Norcliffe Foundation
Pierce County Connected Fund
Peg & Rick Young Foundation

IMMIGRATION LEGAL & RESETTLEMENT SERVICES
World Relief
Northwest Immigrants Rights Project (NWIRP)
Peace Lutheran Church
Colectiva Legal de Pueblo
St. Leo’s Catholic Church
Tacoma Community House

GRANT FUNDING OVERVIEW

Grants are a significant pillar of AIDNW’s funding, greatly helping us to achieve remarkable outcomes and serve immigrants in detention and upon their release. With deep gratitude for the support we’ve received, we recognize that each grant represents not just funding, but a vote of confidence in our mission. At AIDNW, we honor the impact of past grants by continuing to innovate, advocate, and effect positive change. Together, with the generosity of Grantmakers, we forge a brighter future for our communities and beyond. We are proud to share the grants AIDNW has been awarded in 2023 and 2024.

DONATE

GRANTS AWARDED 2023-2024

  • 2024: Kaplan Fund Grant

    $1,000

  • 2024: Bamford Foundation Grant

    $4,000

  • 2024: City of Tacoma Contingency Grant

    $10,000

  • 2024: City of Tacoma Special Events Grant

    $1,000

  • 2023: BECU Collaboration Grant

     $7,500

  • 2023: Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Grant

     $5,000

  • 2023: Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation Grant

    $4,150

  • 2023: The Peg & Rick Young Foundation Grant

    $5,000

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

AIDNW trained volunteers greet released immigrants at the Welcome Center RV just outside the NWIPC release gate. Volunteers provide snacks, beverages, backpacks, and clothing as needed; they charge releasee’s phones to connect with their family or sponsors; then volunteers help arrange their travel by air or land, transporting them to the airport, bus or train stations. Nearby relatives can also arrive to pick them up.

Phones are available inside the NWIPC, but it costs money to make a call. Detained immigrants can call the AIDNW Hotline to request phone funds to contact family, friends, or legal help. AIDNW can provide phone cards in $20 denominations for up to one hundred detainees each month.

Yes, your donation to AIDNW is tax deductible as allowed by law. Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest is a nonprofit, tax exempt charitable organization (EIN # 27-1031009) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Yes, you can donate specific items of clothing, backpacks, shoes, and arts and crafts supplies via AIDNW’s Amazon Wish List. 

AIDNW serves people detained in the NW ICE Processing Center, and those who are newly released. AIDNW also provides temporary housing to immigrants without a sponsor or family in the area and connects them with other organizations for legal and resettlement services.

Yes, all AIDNW services are provided free of charge to people detained in and newly released from the NWIPC in Tacoma, WA.

AIDNW offers onsite training for new volunteers at the Welcome Center. We explain everything from set up to take down and various situations that occur in between. Volunteers receive informational materials and learn procedures. For volunteers visiting detained immigrants inside the NWIPC, we provide protocols for visiting immigrants, tips on conversations, and meet the new volunteer at the detention center for their first visit.

We offer flexible options to accommodate our volunteers. Some volunteers complete one shift per month at the Welcome Center while others choose to volunteer daily or every week. Shifts are from 2-6 p.m. or 3 p.m. to close at 7 p.m. Visitations inside the NWIPC are limited to one hour by ICE and we suggest a minimum of one visit or more every two weeks. Other volunteer hours, such as in the office or on a committee, will vary depending on the tasks offered by the volunteer.

An interest in helping immigrants new to our country will align with our mission. Fluency in a foreign language is often useful, but not necessary, since AIDNW has volunteer interpreters on call when required.

No, minors are not detained at the NWIPC.

Please submit a new question. We look forward to connecting with you!

    VOLUNTEER WITH AIDNW

    Volunteer with AIDNW for a few hours a month and meet immigrants from around the globe! Our volunteer community is a diverse group of community service-minded people who hail from Seattle to Olympia, Gig Harbor to Enumclaw.

    SHARE YOUR TIME OR SKILLS

    AIDNW volunteers gather to help asylum seekers released from detention on a chilly Pacific Northwest fall afternoon.