SOLANA BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — Somos Tías has been named the Nonprofit of the Year for the 38th Senate District of California, which covers North San Diego County coastal communities.
The recognition came as a surprise to the group's co-founders.
"We had no idea we were going to be nominated, let alone be selected," Lisa Montes said. "It was a big surprise."
The nonprofit has only been around for about a year and five months, but in that short time, it has expanded significantly.
"It's not only Somos Tías' award, but it really, truly was a collaborative effort," Montes said.
ABC 10News first introduced you to the Tías last August. The nonprofit provides support for families impacted by immigration enforcement operations, delivering food and supplies to families too afraid to leave their homes because of their immigration status.
At that time, Somos Tías was serving 50 families. That number has now doubled.
"We estimate about 100 families or possibly more, and that also varies in the degree of support that each family receives," co-founder Amy Bryan said.
The nonprofit has also expanded to four chapters in the county: Solana Beach, Encinitas, the 78 Corridor, and Point Loma. Somos Tías also provides Know Your Rights information and sends letters to ICE detainees housed in Otay Mesa.
"We are thrilled that our community is coming together for this, and we are destroyed that our community needs to come together like this," Bryan said.
Next week, co-founders Montes and Bryan will travel to Sacramento to receive the award, but say the recognition belongs to everyone involved in supporting the Tías.
"We'll accept this on behalf of all of the individual donors, the families, the businesses, the nonprofits out there, the mutual aid groups," Montes said.
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