It's no secret that soccer is the world's favorite sport. And unsurprising that the kids at La Chacra wanted one thing...more of it! But, we asked, why don't you play more now? You have a field right outside your classroom, and there's plenty of time after school to play. Their answer was simple. We need jerseys, balls, and new soccer goals. The goals they had were old, small, and rusty. That's it? we thought. Now that's something we could change. We got a refresh of soccer balls for the kids, along with brand new jerseys - Real Madrid vs. Barcelona! And then the big kahuna...new soccer goals. Those were a bit puzzling to put together - how many ARC teammates and Catholic Sisters does it take to assemble soccer goal?? But with a little elbow grease, the help of our friends from the Global Shapers El Salvador hub, and just a little luck, the pieces were finally in place and the goals ready for play. It was a team effort...good practice for all the games ahead! … [Read more...] about How We Roll
Archives for February 2019
Reading Rainbow
When we sat down with the kids of La Chacra, we asked about their ideas to make their community safer, better, and brighter. They had so many incredible thoughts, eagerly sharing with us and the Catholic Sisters who run their school. But one idea stood out, loud and clear. BOOKS! More novels. More textbooks. More English/Spanish dictionaries. The more books, the better. For the past few months, we've spent a lot of time with Catholic Sisters and their communities, working together to cook up big ideas for how to amplify the incredible work they're already doing. The result of these conversations? We're calling it the Color Movement. The Color Movement is all about bold, beautiful, bright colors - about feeling joy through creation. And about putting real resources into the Sisters' hands. So, we thought, what better way to bring these kids into the Color Movement than by doing something that incorporates all three - creating little libraries - and having the kids … [Read more...] about Reading Rainbow
The Great Outdoors
In the La Chacra community of El Salvador, family activities almost always take place indoors. The streets aren't safe - violence can occur suddenly. There aren't many public, outdoor spots to gather with peace of mind and a sense of security. But there's one exception. A school and community center run by Catholic Sisters. Inside its grounds, kids and families alike feel a sense of sanctuary. They can take a deep breath, they can relax a little. One thing the kids at La Chacra are really craving? Some quality time spent outside with their families. When we asked some youth in La Chacra about their ideas to make the space even more family friendly, it's no wonder that one of their most popular ideas had to do with being outdoors - picnics! "We'd like the opportunity to sit outside and eat a meal together," said one of the kids. "We can do that here." We did some sleuthing and determined the items needed for a proper picnic in El Salvador, and then we got to work! … [Read more...] about The Great Outdoors
Home is…
"This is a place for people to come and give." Gretchen is the head coordinator at the Inn Project, a transition shelter for people who have crossed the border and are waiting for their cases to be heard at immigration courts across the U.S. Although there are a few staff, the shelter really runs on volunteer power. "Volunteers come and do night shifts," said Gretchen. "We have people who come and volunteer just to sit and chat with people, which is so important. They need kind people around them right now." Volunteers at the Inn give so much of their time, energy, and heart to helping families at the shelter get through a very difficult and scary time. But the way Gretchen sees it, time spent at the shelter helps nourish the volunteers, too. "It's an enriching experience to be here," she said. "We learn as much from these families as they learn from us." There's nothing we could do to thank these volunteers enough. But, we could definitely try. Every volunteer … [Read more...] about Home is…
With Open Arms
The Inn Project in Tucson, Arizona, meets people at the end of one part of their journey - but when the next chapter is just beginning. The Project acts as a shelter for people who have gone through the immigration process at the border, but who have yet to go to where their case will be fully reviewed. But the staff at the Inn Project provide much more than a simple transition shelter. It's also a place for families to take a deep breath, to get some questions answered. To be welcomed and unafraid. "We work really hard to ensure that this is a welcoming place," says Gretchen, one of the lead coordinators. "That's what inspires me." One of the ways they can be most welcoming - especially to families - is by having spaces dedicated to children. They're cooped up in the shelter for most of the day, which, as you can imagine, can be particularly tough for the energetic little ones. "We really want to make our kids' area nice," said Gretchen. "They should be able to … [Read more...] about With Open Arms
Named Most Innovative 2019
Named To Fast Company’s Annual List Of The World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019 American Refugee Committee (now Alight) has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019. … [Read more...] about Named Most Innovative 2019
Lightening the Load
The Catholic Sisters who run the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Mexico, have a big job. Every day, they provide meals, guidance, and things like soap and toothbrushes to people either seeking asylum in the United States or who have been recently deported. The needs are diverse - and so is their response. Sitting within a mile of the U.S. and Mexico border, these Sisters feel deeply the incredible challenges families face as they make difficult decisions and an uncertain future. They know that staying safe is a big worry for most people - they don't always know who to trust or where to seek support. That's where the backpacks come in. "When people are deported," said Sister Amelia, "They're all given the same bag to keep their belongings. Everyone knows this is the bag for deported people. It puts them at risk." These families are incredibly vulnerable. And people looking to exploit that know how to spot them in a crowd with their clearly marked bags. The Sisters … [Read more...] about Lightening the Load
Little Learning Library
Jesus is the kind of kid who absorbs knowledge like a sponge. When we visited him and his family at the La Roca shelter in Nogales, Mexico, all he wanted to do was practice his English. He took learning new words really seriously, repeating them out loud and grinning with satisfaction when he got it just right. His family is at the shelter after months of travel through Central America. And now, like the other 60 people at La Roca, he’s waiting for his turn to be interviewed with U.S. immigration. But in the meantime, he’s a little bit restless. He wants to keep learning English, wants to engage his mind. As a twelve year old, you can hardly blame him. For somebody as whip smart as Jesus, the past few months have been tough – his education has been put on hold. And other people at La Roca also told us about how during these days, they’re filled with anxiety on what might be coming next, but they don’t have much to do. One way to expand your mind and stay occupied, … [Read more...] about Little Learning Library
A Stop Along the Way
“This isn’t the end. It’s the beginning.” The La Roca migrant shelter in Nogales, Mexico, is one stop along the journey for families headed north. It’s one of the last touch points before crossing over to the United States, a quiet sanctuary reached after weeks and sometimes months of grueling movement. Cruzando Fronteras, lead by one Reverend Rodger, runs La Roca and four additional shelters in Nogales. Rodger hears lots of stories, many of them hopeful, and many of them filled with pain. Everyone there has experienced extreme trauma, and tragic losses. But despite the sadness, he says, “they are so willing to laugh. To share a joke. They’re incredibly strong. They’re the people I want to spend my days with.” People from across Arizona have shown up in a big way to get Rodger and the guests at the shelter the things they need to feel comfortable, safe, and warm for a few days. But sometimes they need a little extra help rounding things out, especially with people always … [Read more...] about A Stop Along the Way
Bringing Home the Bacon
An important part of our work is making sure that all members of the community are included. Everyone’s voice matters, and everyone’s invited! In the case of the Oruchinga Refugee Settlement, whether you’re a newly arrived Congolese refugee or life-long Ugandan resident, we want you to be a part of the conversation. We’ve spent the last thirty days supporting the food security and livelihoods of both refugees and host community members. Today, we’re especially interested in thanking the host community for all that they’ve done to welcome refugees into their community. So, we decided to target some other host community groups, and were able to give three groups five piglets, similarly to what we did with the refugee groups we met yesterday! One community member, Anthony told us this: “We’re hoping to use the pigs to inspire and encourage others to start other similar groups. Once they see the success of ours, they’ll want to do the same.” Yvonne was equally pleased. … [Read more...] about Bringing Home the Bacon