Victoria is a single Mom with 3 children now living and working here in Northern Virginia. But her story begins in El Salvador.
Her Mom had emigrated to the USA when she was a child, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. Then at an early age, she was a single Mom with a son of her own to care for. Victoria was a hard worker, but jobs were scarce and low paying. And she wanted very much to be with her Mom, whom she had not seen for so many years. And she wanted her Mom to know her grandson!
A few years earlier, Just Neighbors had helped Victoria’s Mom with her U-Visa, and so she went back to Just Neighbors to see how they might be able to help Victoria come to the USA. Her Mom’s visa created an opportunity. So, in 2012, with Just Neighbors’ help, Victoria was able to come to the USA, but her son had to stay behind in El Salvador.
To bring her son, Victoria would need to first get her own green card, which Just Neighbors helped her to do. But the boy’s father did not want him to leave El Salvador, so Victoria had to return to convince the Dad to let him come to the USA.
Today, Victoria, her Mom and her son are all here together. Victoria and her Mom are working, and Victoria’s son is enrolled in elementary school.
When asked what she wants the world to know about Just Neighbors she said, “They didn’t give up on us.”