Jody Bell of Greenwich is a member of the “Wonder Women Class of ’19” and will soon be honored for her extraordinary community service by the Malta House of Care Mobile Medical Clinic.
Jody, 17, founded a website called “In Case of Deportation,” after listening to the fears of some of her immigrant classmates at Greenwich High School.
Geared toward kids ages 8-18, it explains what deportation is; how to talk to family members about it; and provides government resources and other info for kids whose parents or guardians face deportation.
Jody’s website is already being used by several school districts, including in Greenwich and New Rochelle, NY.
“At GHS there are kids with undocumented parents, and they feel they can’t talk to their guidance counselor because they’re afraid,” Jody told GFP last year when her site went live. “There is a confidentiality arrangement with guidance counselors, but it’s an awkward conversation. It’s taboo. In kids’ minds, telling adults puts their parents at risk. Mainly because they don’t know what they’re rights are.”
Jody said her goal is for I.C.O.D. to become a hub useful information. “A lot of the content we write is original, but we also point people to other resources.”
Targeted to children 8-18, the site features sections for emotional help, legal help, lawyers, and even a child preparedness plan which takes children though the process from how to have “the deportation talk” and to how to determine options in advance with parents.