Doing the doable doesn’t have to happen thousands of miles of way. In fact, making change for refugees can happen right here at home – for our neighbors, friends, and colleagues. That’s why for the past ten days we’ve brought you stories of small changes that have had big impacts in Minnesota, where ARC is headquartered. Stories of people who use the skills and relatively few resources they have to do something amazing for someone else.
Imagine arriving in a brand new country, where you don’t know anyone – you’ve left your community and your friends behind. You don’t know how to get to the grocery store, how to pay your bills, or who your neighbors are. Life can be overwhelming.
That’s the reality that many refugees face when they first arrive in Minnesota. And for families who are going through this difficult adjustment period, a smile from a stranger, an extra gesture of kindness, or a word of encouragement can go a long way in helping to make them feel at home. So on Day 52, we gathered supporters from our local ARC community to do something small to help refugees adjust to their new state – write to them.
We gathered a group of ARC volunteers at our office in Northeast Minneapolis. Doubling as an opportunity to get to know each other just a little better, everyone grabbed a stack of cards. And with a pen in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, we got to work.
In just a couple of hours, these wonderful volunteers wrote hundreds of welcoming and neighborly messages, encouraging newly arrived refugees to stay strong and never give up hope as they find their feet again.
Tomorrow, we’ll meet another neighbor who is using one of his passions – making delicious, homemade pizza – to make change in the world. Stay tuned for our most appetizing idea yet.
