This week we’re bringing you stories from inside Minnesota, where ARC is headquartered, to show that doing what we can for one another doesn’t have to take place in faraway places – change can happen much closer to home, too.
There is an abundance of people in our community who are doing the doable for our refugee neighbors, using the skills and resources they have at their disposal. And today, we’re introducing you to one such person – Ryan Jordan, a native Minnesotan who is putting his talent toward making a difference for refugees. And it all starts in his kitchen.
For Ryan, making and enjoying homemade pizza is all about a connection to family, a way to bring loved ones together. “Pizza was the food of my childhood,” he explains. “It marked celebrations, was the comfort food of choice in times of sadness, and was a weekend routine.” Over the years, Ryan grew his skills as a pizza maker, and he continues to delight his friends and family with pizza parties and gatherings on a regular basis. But making delicious pizza is just one piece of the pie. Ryan is passionate about giving his gift to others too – and making a difference in the lives of refugees in the process.
For Day 53, Ryan decided to combine two things he cares about – pizza and doing good for others – into one delicious fundraising event. He invited friends, neighbors, and people from his community to gather for one night of homemade pizza, with gifts at the door going toward supporting ARC’s life-saving programs around the world.
On top of being a pizza afficianado, Ryan’s a good friend of ARC too. His sister Alissa works at ARC, and through her he’s gained a perspective and appreciation of ARC’s work around the world. “I’ve never once had to worry about having a safe place to live,” he explains, “never fretted about access to food and basic healthcare, never been forcefully separated from my friends or family.” For him, supporting ARC means reaching out to those 65 million displaced people around the world that he could not otherwise reach.
“Ryan is the type of person who creates the kind of world he wants to live in,” says Alissa. “He doesn’t wait for someone else to be kind, thoughtful, or hospitable. I’m proud to be his sister.”
Over the course of the night, a sense of community and comradery flourished as Ryan’s pizza attracted dozens of hungry people – and $500 in donations for ARC. He’s opening our eyes to the possibilities for change that exist all around us, cooking up creative solutions and putting just a little more goodness into the world. Thank you, Ryan!
Tomorrow, we’re taking a trip to Karmel Mall in Minneapolis – a Somali place of gathering, shopping, and even more delicious treats – to see how sharing traditions can be a powerful way to connect to each other.
