New Neighbors Team Update
On Thursday, April 13, we welcomed to Chicago the Kelete Family, who arrived from Eritrea via eight years in a refugee camp!
The family of eight consists of a mom and dad, five children, and one grandchild. They were placed in a (substandard, one-bedroom) apartment with a few mattresses, chairs, and a rickety table.
The good news is that Norm Dynneson and a few of the Eritrean families who have lived in Chicago for several years have already stepped in to help by taking the families shopping, helping line up school settings for the kids, and gathering clothes and kitchen supplies from Ebenezer’s Welcome Rooms.
What can you do to help?
The most immediate concern is finding a clean, larger place for the family to live.
The next is finding a job for the father. If you have any leads, please let Norm know.
Drivers for shopping trip on May 13. The family needs clothing from socks and underwear to shoes and summer clothes. We plan a trip to Burlington Coat Factory for the 8 family members a few interpreters and we need a few folks to help drive and pick out clothes.
Other things the family needs now:
bikes and locks (adult sized still needed) for transportation
bunk beds
vacuum
a laundry cart
Soccer gear like pads and shoes for kids ages 8, 10 and mens, size 9
Space is limited now, so things like dressers will have to wait, (but we will need them eventually!)
Donations to the Welcome Rooms and New Neighbors Fund at Ebenezer have allowed Norm and his helpers to supply the family with some cleaning supplies and personal care items, but those items eventually run out.
MONEY is always a welcome gift. Kids will need more clothes as they grow. When the family gets CTA passes, we will need to provide funds to keep the passes valid.
If you wish to donate, information is here. Indicate New Neighbors Fund to designate your gift.
If you have questions about anything here,, you can contact Jackie at jacquelinemwood@hotmail.com or Norm at normdynneson64@gmail.com.