When unaccompanied immigrant children arrive in the United States, they are forced to navigate one of the most complex legal systems in the world, often without a parent, a lawyer, or someone who speaks their language. They are children. And they should not have to face this alone.
If you want to do something, there are real, meaningful ways to help. Here is where to start.
Become a Volunteer Child Advocate
The most direct way to support an immigrant child is to stand beside one. The Young Center’s Volunteer Child Advocate program trains adults to accompany unaccompanied immigrant children through immigration proceedings and advocate for their best interests while they are in government custody.
A Child Advocate is not an attorney. You do not need a legal background. What you need is the time, commitment, and willingness to show up consistently for a child who needs a trusted adult in their corner. Volunteer Child Advocates meet individually with children, accompany them to court hearings, and help ensure that every decision-maker involved in their case understands who that child is as a person, not just as a case number.
The Young Center has volunteer programs in Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Harlingen, Phoenix, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C., New Jersey, and Grand Rapids. If you live near one of these cities and want to make a direct difference, apply to become a Volunteer Child Advocate today.
Make a Donation
Every donation to the Young Center helps place a trained Child Advocate beside an unaccompanied immigrant child facing deportation proceedings. Your gift funds the attorneys, social workers, and staff who work alongside volunteers to advocate for each child’s safety and best interests.
You can make a one-time gift, set up a monthly donation, or give through a donor-advised fund, stock transfer, or workplace matching program. The Young Center is a 501(c)(3) organization, so your donation is tax-deductible. Explore the full range of ways to give and find the option that works best for you.
Be a Waymaker
The Elizabeth Frankel Waymakers Mileage Challenge is the Young Center’s annual fundraising event, where participants walk, run, or roll miles in solidarity with immigrant children and families who have made their own journeys to safety. The 6th Annual Challenge runs throughout September 2026.
Being a Waymaker means more than logging miles. It means raising awareness in your community, inviting others to give, and standing publicly with children who have no choice but to keep moving forward. You can participate from anywhere in the world.
Become a Changemaker
Not everyone can volunteer directly with children, but everyone can use their voice. The Young Center’s Changemaker program connects people across the country who want to take meaningful action for immigrant children’s rights. Changemakers receive alerts about advocacy opportunities, sign on to campaigns, share information in their networks, and participate in national efforts to protect children from family separation, prolonged detention, and deportation.
Whether you are an educator, a healthcare provider, a faith leader, a student, or simply someone who believes children deserve to be treated as children, there is a place for you here.
Advocate for Policy Change
The rules that govern how immigrant children are treated are set by lawmakers and government agencies. When those rules change for the worse, children pay the price. When people speak up, it makes a difference.
Following the Young Center’s work means staying informed about the policies that affect unaccompanied children and knowing when your voice matters most. Signing on to public comment campaigns, contacting your members of Congress, and sharing information with your community are all forms of advocacy that move the needle.
Sign up for the Young Center’s newsletter to stay informed about policy developments and learn when and how to take action.
Host a Community Conversation
One of the most powerful things you can do is create space for conversation. The Young Center can provide materials and, in some locations, a guest speaker to help spark dialogue in your home, office, place of worship, or community space. These conversations build understanding, inspire action, and grow a community of people who are committed to standing with immigrant children.
To learn more about hosting an event or bringing the Young Center’s work into your community, visit the events and engagement page or reach out directly.
Every Action Counts
The immigration system can feel enormous and overwhelming. The needs of unaccompanied children can feel too large for any one person to address. But every Child Advocate who shows up for a child, every donor who makes a gift, every person who writes to their representative matters.
The Young Center’s work is possible because of a community of people who refuse to look away. If you are ready to be part of that community, get started today.
