Low-income students, immigrant families, and households of all ages will benefit from more than $70 Million in victories from Action In Montgomery (AIM) this year. These victories followed an accountability action with over 1200 residents in May 2018 and a 500-person action in March 2019, along with ongoing presence and turn-out at hearings throughout the spring. 

After a tough budget season and much deliberation, Montgomery’s Council kept the promises they made to AIM in 2018 to expand high-quality after school programs to 1200 students in the county’s high poverty elementary schools which overwhelmingly serve students of color and ESL students. The program is modeled after BUILD’s Child First in Baltimore and includes an hour of academics from teachers in the school, an hour of enrichment, and a hot meal, 5 days a week. AIM trains the parents in leadership and organizing to address local issues facing families. 

AIM first organized for dedicated funding for affordable housing over 15 years ago, and since then AIM leader have won increased funding annually. This year AIM won $68 Million in the fund, bringing the total over time to over $725 Million. 

During listening sessions, dozens and dozens of undocumented immigrants shared their fears of being deported and separated from their young children. Leaders learned that 40% of the families that are seen by Catholic Charities have a legal pathway for staying in the U.S., but do not have the means to hire immigration lawyers to obtain legal status. For the second year, AIM worked with African and Latino immigrants to win $540,000 to provide lawyers to keep more families together and help families feel more secure in their communities.