There’s a reason your mom always told you to hand write your thank you notes. There’s something warm and fuzzy about opening up a message written by a friend or loved one, something personal about a letter just for you.
Here in Minneapolis, we’ve been partnering with the International Institute of Minnesota to help welcome newly arrived refugees families to the Twin Cities. And one of the very best ways we could think of showering those families with love and support is with messages of welcome – waiting for them when they get home.
When resettling the last group of incoming families, we recruited volunteers to help. Together we created a visual welcome for each family in their new home, made up of messages and written with care.
Each note is handwritten and in the family’s native language, adding a note of something familiar in a new place. So far we’ve written notes in French, Kiswahili, Thai, and English!
A note of welcome adds a human touch to a process that can feel so lonely. It’s a way to show these families they’re not alone – and that there are dozens of people already here, cheering them on.
