Moorestown Student's Nonprofit Supports Immigrant Families

MOORESTOWN, NJ — As she sat there watching Amanda Gorman read a powerful poem that inspired much of America, an idea was born within Charlotte Levan.

The Moorestown High School junior said she was struck by Gorman’s line, "Somehow we have weathered and witnessed, a nation that isn't broken, but simply unfinished."

Gorman read the line from her poem, “The Hill We Climb,” during the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and realized that she herself could be the one to provide a new perspective on social justice issues.

It was on this night that the idea for Unfinished Clothing Company, a nonprofit that helps immigrant families in America, was born. The company sells hand-designed t-shirts, and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the Immigrant Families Together Foundation.

“I have always been motivated by social justice causes,” Levan said. “My parents taught me to have compassion.”

They also taught her to get educated on the issues, and Levan has used the resources available to her, including school, to learn as much as she can.

Levan said a major eye-opener came for her in seventh grade, when she learned about different cultures and their problems around the world as part of her Cultural Geography class.

She said her parents were very supportive, helping her with the financial aspects and technicalities of starting a 501(c)3. Her mother, Melanie Levan, was a founding member of MooreKids, although she is no longer part of the organization.

Her friends have also been extremely helpful, and the response since her website launched less than a month ago has been great so far, she said.

The shirts — which have a logo on the front and read, “We Are An Unfinished Nation Full Of Unfinished Stories” — were printed at Showcase Graphics on Main Street in Moorestown.

Levan designed the website herself, and has been advertising via social media. It’s not her first foray into social justice initiatives, as she also raised about $400 with stickers supporting the Black Lives Matter movement last summer.

“You can’t fix everything,” said Levan when asked why she chose to help undocumented immigrants with her nonprofit.

She learned about the issue by participating in Model Congress at Moorestown High School. She is especially concerned about health care access for undocumented immigrants, and would like to help as a nurse practitioner when she gets older.

“I am a firm believer that no human is illegal,” Levan says on her website. “Many undocumented immigrants come to America fleeing persecution in their home country or are looking for a better life for their families. Not only do these immigrants play a vital role in the American economy, they bring new cultures and ideas to add to the diversity of American life.”

She said that while she supports the Democratic Party, she recognizes that the Biden Administration has a long way to go.

“The immigration system in the U.S. is slow, unnecessarily difficult, and not accessible to many non-English speakers; it also does not provide an easy nor clear path to citizenship,” Levan says. “Families are being separated and detained at the southern border, with reports of ICE workers committing horrible human rights violations against both children and adults. It is crucial that detainees are provided with legal representation and are informed of their rights. No child should be separated from their parents.”

When she figured out whom she wanted to help, she then went about finding out how to help.

“I did my own research independently to find someone specifically doing things to help immigrant families,” Levan told Patch.

After researching and verifying different organizations, she chose the Illinois-based Immigrant Families Together. She reached out to the group and spoke to the members of the board, who she said were all very supportive of her effort.

Levan is currently considering her options for attending college, currently leaning toward the University of Michigan. She is hoping that by the time she gets out of school, things will have changed.

“Change is slow, and there will be another election cycle,” Levan said. “I hope America does the right thing, and there will be more change.”

For more on her company, and to donate or purchase a shirt, visit unfinishedclothingco.org.