As we embark on our journey to become Alight, we’re starting with giving – giving to to the community where we call home, giving to like-minded people who are doing a lot with a little.
Today and tomorrow, we’re working with the incredible International Institute of Minnesota, which is celebrating 100 years of welcoming new Americans! The Institute works with single adults, families, and unaccompanied minors – teenagers or kids who have arrived in Minnesota alone, trying to navigate an entirely unfamiliar place.
They teach practical things that we might overlook – like how to walk on ice, which is especially handy during Minnesota’s winters! They’re also the only organization in Minnesota that helps victims of trafficking who are non-US citizens.
Sierra is a Case Manager for IIM’s Anti-Human Trafficking program. “People are strong, some of the strongest people in the planet,” she said. “The resilience that you see is amazing. People start by having no confidence in themselves, then they start building, working for themselves for their families, it’s incredibly powerful.”
One of the things they could really use help with, Sierra told us, is creating care packages for new arrivals from Central America. These welcome gifts help people feel seen, heard, and loved, right off the bat.
So we jumped right in!
We packed everything from home and hygiene supplies for single moms, to activity kits with backpacks, toys, and bilingual books and games for kids, plus personalized notes and drawings as an extra token of support and belief.
“These gifts will go a long way,” said Sierra. “They help show people that they’re welcome, that people care, and that they’re a part of our community. It’s so nice to be able to provide a little extra something to make them feel at home. It gives them a starting point to build a new life.”
