Dear St. John’s family,
We have the honor and privilege of welcoming a new refugee family to Westchester later this year. Would you like to be a part of the welcome? Actually, you already are, because St. John’s Easter Appeal collection was given directly to Neighbors for Refugees, and we will be using that collection to support this new family. If you are interested in an even more hands-on role with welcoming these refugees, we have a place for you. Join the team!
We are now forming a small team of parishioners who will provide the in-person services for a refugee family arriving later this year. This team will help the family learn their new neighborhood, navigate schools, find the right healthcare providers, secure employment, and gradually adjust to life in the US. It is a life-changing experience for us and for the family.
A few points of interest. Neighbors for Refugees:
- has formed as a 501(c)(3) in 2017 and has grown from a budget of $50,000 in our first year to a budget of over $250,000 in 2023.
- has resettled 18 refugee families – from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Pakistan, Myanmar, Venezuela and Sudan – providing them with financial and practical help in the first year of their new lives.
- has set up apartments, supplied furnishings and household goods and provided limited financial support for another 57 families.
- is 100% volunteer “staffed”, with around 65 volunteers providing direct support to the refugees and another 25 doing the work of keeping the organization healthy.
- has well trained leaders to support every area in which our volunteers provide support to our families.
Several St. John’s parishioners that you know are officers of Neighbors, and are more than happy to tell you anything you want to know about Neighbors and what is involved in welcoming a new family. Please get in touch with any one of us.
Jmel Wilson 914-500-7608
Frank Pierson 914-834-2449
Rick Berry 914-262-4243
We will meet to begin our training on Saturday afternoon, October 28, and we would love to have you on the team! Please contact Jmel Wilson to add your name to the list.
Jmel Wilson
Director for Refugee Resettlement
Neighbors for Refugees
cell: 914-500-7608