WHO WE ARE

Building a Bigger Table is a humanitarian community that supports asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. We are a task force of First Parish Brewster Unitarian Universalist (FPBUU) on Cape Cod. Our group is made up of dedicated individuals who believe in creating a welcoming community for those who have been displaced from their homes due to persecution, human rights violations, armed conflict or other reasons. This group believes that when you have more than you need, you build a bigger table, not a higher wall.

WHAT WE DO

Building a Bigger Table works with displaced families in need of support. By developing relationships with families, we can effectively determine how to help them while providing them with a supportive community and helping them to become more independent. We connect families with appropriate resources and help them navigate systems, services and daily life in the U.S. We work daily with:

accompanying them to appointments
helping them navigate the healthcare system
assisting with school communication and teacher meetings
providing driving lessons
assisting with forms, fees, and securing legal representation
helping them to find housing, furniture, toys and other necessary items
providing English classes
assisting with resumes and employment search
connecting them with daycare, play groups, and continueing education and professional certification opportunities

We do immigration advocacy work on a local, state and national level, often networking with other organizations and agencies. WE seek to educate ourselves and our community about migrant issues and the populations we serve.

OUR HISTORY

Building a Bigger Table was founded in 2019 by a couple in Dennis, Massachusetts, in response to the migrant crisis at the border. They heard firsthand accounts of the situation from their friend, Stephen Michael Tumolo (founder of Heart to Heart), who had visited Kino Border Initiative (KBI) in Nogales, Mexico.

The Dennis couple decided to open their home and offer hospitality and safety to a displaced family. However, when they contacted KBI, they discovered that there were two families in desperate need of assistance.

The two attended a demonstration at First Parish Brewster Unitarian Universalist (FPBUU) held to protest the separation of migrant families at the border. They connected with other members of FPBUU who were eager to help. Together, they formed Building a Bigger Table (BBT) and held their first fundraiser in November 2019. The group was met with overwhelming support from the community; they were now prepared to help.

Due to legal changes preventing migrants from entering the U.S., KBI no longer had anyone in need of housing. However, Annunciation House, a sister organization in El Paso, was sheltering a pregnant woman from Ghana who had been separated from her husband when he was detained in Texas.

The founding couple reached out to the woman and told her about BBT. She flew to Boston on November 24, 2019, and settled into the couple's home; she was eight months pregnant. She gave birth on December 27th at Cape Cod Hospital. Among other things, Building a Bigger Table helped her secure health insurance, provided her with clothing, and drove her to appointments. BBT also hired an attorney for her husband and raised bond money to free him. The Ghanaian family was finally reunited at the the couple's home at the end of January 2020.

During their first year, BBT provided supplies and financial assistance to people turned away at the border, and became involved with local efforts to help migrants in need. BBT continued to grow in size and scope, but remained committed to providing personal support to the individuals and groups they served.