Help young people send letters and drawings to Congress and President Trump

Two hand drawn letters to members of Congress. The first is a a child's hand drawn stick figure family with the words, "Keep families together! Abraham Carr." The second is more complex, with a colorful rainbow circle with handwritten text on the inside. The text reads, "Thomas Merton said, 'We are already one, but we fear we are not.' I believe separating migrant families is motivated by fear. I would rather explore our oneness and live into it. Respectfully, [illegible signature], Norman, Oklahoma."

The letters can be writing, drawings, or a combination of any form of expression. They can come from children who have experienced detention or family separation, or children who are just learning about the issue, but know that all families should be together!

Let’s lift the voice of our young people to influence Congress to do what’s right!

  1. Organize a group of children or youth to write letters! Our partner, the American Friends Service Committee, put together two letter-writing toolkits, Toolkit for grades K-3 and Toolkit for grades 4 and up  to assist pastors, youth leaders, educators, and other adults who work closely with children. Though these toolkits were created for a campaign to close the Homestead Child Detention Center, they can be used to address detention more broadly. Please use your discretion about which materials to use with the children you know. Customize the plans to meet your and their needs.

  2. Take photos of the children’s letters.

  3. Share and tag your photos on Facebook and Twitter. Tweet at your representative using #EndChildDetention and tag @umcjustice and your representative. (Go to AFSC’s page to learn more about online safety for children on social media.)

  4. Write your own letter.

  5. Deliver your letters to Congress and the president.
    Mail them to:
    a. Your members’ offices (you can find the addresses on AFSC’s website).
    b. The White House:
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, D.C. 20500
    c. Church and Society and we’ll hand deliver them to the members’ D.C. office and the White House:
    Church and Society
    c/o End Child Detention
    100 Maryland Ave., NE
    Washington, D.C. 20002