Networks of Care: How Rural Immigrants Build Community

Citation: Sangaramoorthy, Thurka. “Networks of Care: How Rural Immigrants Build Community.” Barn Raiser, January 11, 2026. https://barnraisingmedia.com/networks-of-care-how-rural-immigrants-build-community/.

Excerpt: “Immigrants on the Eastern Shore face significant challenges: demanding work, limited services, geographic isolation, and often a sense of being socially excluded despite being economically essential. During my decade of research on the Eastern Shore, from 2014–2024, I found that these networks of mutual aid aren’t just about getting by. They’re about building community in places that often feel unwelcoming, about creating bonds of trust and reciprocity that make rural life sustainable for both immigrants and rural communities as a whole.”