The Fox Valley is already receiving refugee families in need of our friendship and support. 18 families are expected to arrive from Fort McCoy before February through World Relief.
Direct Support for Refugees through Partner Organizations
For those in closer proximity to the Fox Valley, good neighbor teams are forming through World Relief Fox Valley. Two orientation meetings are planned for January. For those outside of the Fox Valley, more information on direct support is being gathered and curated to share in the new year. Financial and in kind gifts can be made directly to the relief organization in your area.
Appleton & Oshkosh - World Relief Fox Valley
Wausau - New Beginnings
Green Bay - Catholic Charities
Fond du Lac and Milwaukee Area - Lutheran Social Services of Wi and Upper Mi
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Please visit this google folder for resources including:
A Statement on Culture and Accompaniment from the ELCA
A statement on Accompaniment from the ELCA
AMMPARO - Words create Worlds
How to Talk to your family about Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Five questions to ask when crafting messages about refugees in the current Climate
How to Cover Refugee Stories (with a media focus)
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Through World Relief, donations are being gathered for those arriving. Please contact World Relief Fox Valley directly.
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An updated list of resources: books, networks, and connections is being curated by DEM, Rev. Grant Applehans. Check back for updates.
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Working with Refugees in the GB area
We are glad to partner with Catholic Charities in their work with refugees. There are a variety of ways you can get involved.
Good Neighbor Teams – Volunteers that can run people to appointments, form supportive community around their newest neighbors or share skills such as ESL, teaching basic auto repair, resume and job hunting and baby/child sitting. These teams are very much about building relationships as you walk alongside these new community members. We ask that you make a minimum 6 month commitment to a Good Neighbor Team
The steps to serve as a volunteer are:
Start application click link https://www.eappsdb.com/login.asp?orgz_key=29
Primary Parish/Agency: Green Bay: Catholic Charities 3212
Access code: gbdioc04
Once your application is completed (including completing a background check form), take the Virtues training https://www.virtusonline.org/virtus/reg_0.cfm?theme=0
The final step is to attend an in-person orientation (Steps 1 & 2 should be completed before you attend an in-person orientation.)
The next volunteer orientation opportunity is Wednesday, March 23rd 5:00 pm
Training is held at Catholic Charities
Bona Hall (Building next to chapel)
1825 Riverside Dr Green Bay
Receive your assignment to work with a family or group of Afghan refugees
In addition to the above opportunity, Catholic Charities is also looking for:
Contacts who work in property management and would be willing/able to rent to the refugees, most of whom have no credit history or, in some cases even an SSN. There is an urgent need for larger family (6-10+) housing.
Employers with openings for folks with minimal English, though perhaps skills
Leads on inexpensive reliable cars
I am happy to serve as the Synod contact person for this ministry in the Green Bay area. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions pastorcindy@stjohndepere.org.
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Join Jill Beverlin, who will host a Peer-to-Peer Volunteer Meeting on April 25th; 6:30pm.
We look forward to our next Volunteer Peer-to -Peer Meeting. Time: Apr 25, 2022 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86736420748?pwd=UXZvbktuWEJYQ0lObXExb2tZQU95UT09
Meeting ID: 867 3642 0748
Passcode: 336378
“On the more basic congregational involvement level, my guiding idea with this was to make sure we were aligned with the relief organization that is overseeing things in our area. Let the experts be the experts and just try to funnel our help to them. So on the congregational level it meant putting together a care team (or teams, if we had enough people) that would work within their program and under their authority. We’re not in charge. We’re not biting off more than we can handle. We’re not committing the congregation to a future that will be unstainable when initial interest starts to wear off. But we are promoting the need, providing a workable game plan to help, and through that have inspired some folks here to get involved, people who would not otherwise have done so. So we are making something happen that would not have otherwise happened.”