Welcome to New England Justice for Our Neighbors, providing free and low-cost legal aid to low-income asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and victims of violence.

Our Board has moved away from an early-stage working Board and is now moving to the next stage of Board development, in which Board members bring their skills and energies to the table to address higher-level issues and assist with the organization's growth by growing our network and recognition. In addition to seeking new members with specific areas of expertise, we are also hoping to add Board members with direct, lived experience with the types of immigration cases we represent. Board-related goals for the near term include creative fundraising, more robust Board involvement in Board-appropriate activities, and recruiting Board members with the passion, skills, experience, and interests needed to help us succeed as we grow.

Members of the Board of this small but growing organization support New England Justice for Our Neighbors in various ways.  Activities include monthly Board meetings, ambassadorship, and supporting fundraising activities.  Some Board members also perform additional ongoing functions - such as the Treasurer - which add a few more hours (again, not more than 5) to the monthly total.  Board members’ time commitment is currently relatively modest.  Most Board members will spend not more than 3 hours per month for the majority of the year.

Board meetings are held monthly over Zoom, with one in-person meeting each year.  We do not currently have Board committees but aspire to create them.  In the meantime, Board members assist the ED on projects or work on Board task forces throughout the year as needed.

At this time, we are particularly seeking Board members with one or more of the following skills/experience:

Immigration lawyers

Fundraising/marketing skills

Non-profit management

Knowledge of organizational budgeting and basic financial processes

People with lived experience similar to our clients'

Attend Board meetings, including one in-person meeting per year
Participate in Board task forces or assist ED with projects, as needed
Volunteer for in-person New England JFON events (not more than one per year)
Publicize fundraising efforts and report to ED for recordkeeping
Participate in thanking donors
Serve as an ambassador for and educator about New England JFON
Spread the word about New England JFON in order to grow our newsletter subscribers, social media followers, volunteers and donors

New England Justice for Our Neighbors (New England JFON) is a 14-year-old immigration legal services organization serving most of Massachusetts. Our clients include asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors, and victims of violence.  We currently provide free legal consults and legal representation to over 400 low-income clients each year through a combination of legal advice consults and the full representation of immigration cases.  

Over the past five years, following the hiring of our first Executive Director, we have improved our processes and infrastructure; brought fundraising, marketing, and other elements of the organization to the next level; and added several new programs.  As a result, we have experienced significant growth in staff, budget, and number of clients. 

It is a challenging time for undocumented immigrants and those who serve them.  We are no exception.  We are recruiting several new Board members, who will have a real opportunity to shape our organization as we look to the future.

New England Justice for Our Neighbors welcomes immigrants by providing free, expert legal services to low-income immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. We also engage in advocacy for immigrant justice and offer education to communities of faith and the public.