The Lee County Legal Aid Society is expanding its efforts to assist immigrant children and teens, including those who are abandoned, entered the country alone, or are victims of human trafficking.

The three-year effort, which began in late 2022, is funded by a federal American Rescue Plan Act grant of roughly $490,000 administered by the United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades counties.

“Through no fault of their own, far too many children and teens from other countries wind up in our community with no adults in their lives, and with nowhere else to turn,” said Lee County Legal Aid Society Executive Director Andrew Banyai. “Some have aged out of the foster care system or were brought here under tragic circumstances by human traffickers. This new effort provides these youth with the opportunity to legally live, work, and study in the U.S., strengthening our community’s fabric while also bolstering our economy and quality of life.”

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