Brookline family hosts migrants who had been sleeping on floor at Logan Airport
BROOKLINE - With emergency shelters at capacity in Massachusetts and images of migrant families sleeping at Logan Airport, the Stokes family of Brookline said they knew they had the means and wanted to step up.
"The family is lovely. They are so appreciative. It has been wonderful," Jessica Stokes told WBZ-TV.
When Colin and Jessica Stokes called the state to sign up to be a host family, as first reported by Brookline.News, it took less than an hour for the displaced migrants to be dropped off at their door.
"I was like I have to get sheets on the beds. How many people are coming? Where are they from? What ages. We really knew nothing," Jessica said.
"The need is so clearly overwhelming," Colin said.
The family of four, who didn't want to go on camera, had been sleeping at Logan Airport. The parents and two kids journeyed from Chile to Texas then Massachusetts. And there are so many stories like it.
"It boggles the mind that there are so many hundreds of those stories and those people who are in such a stressful, traumatic transition," Colin said.
It comes as the state's newest emergency shelter in Roxbury reached its capacity of 400 people in a week. An office building in Boston's Seaport could be the next site, but there are concerns.
"Having a site with no running water, no showers, to me, would be a non-starter," said Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn.
The Stokes are getting a closer look at the state's migrant crisis than they ever imagined.
"It is incredible to observe on the front lines how challenging it is," Jessica said.
They stress the need to fix it is greater than many of us know.
"Just the disfunction is really disheartening and I know that really well-intentioned people are working as hard as they can, it's a state of emergency. But it is distressing to see the volume," Jessica said.
The Stokes said they spoke with WBZ to make the case for families to step up and help. The two kids living with them are still waiting to be placed in schools. The parents say they are both eager to work, but their work authorization forms will likely take months to process.