In light of all that’s going on in the world right now, have you ever imaged what it’d be like to be a refugee? How it would feel to arrive in a new country, most likely not knowing the language, and trying to start a new life? This is exactly what we asked adults and kids to imagine this fall.

We hosted a painting event at Pinot’s Palette where adults came together in support of World Relief DuPage/Aurora (WRDA). They brought donation items, learned about the organization from the WRDA Refugee Services Volunteer Coordinator, painted, and had fun!

“I never knew all of the different ways I could volunteer to assist World Relief, such as being a friendship partner for a refugee coming to America, or helping set-up a refugee’s new apartment. It was staggering to hear that they have helped over 5,500 refugees to transform their lives at a most vulnerable stage. It meant a lot that I could donate some household items at the event for a refugee’s new apartment and also donate my painting at the end of the night to make their new home feel more like a home.” – Emily Bartlett

At the end of the night we donated our Chicago Skyline paintings to WRDA to hang in the homes of newly arrived refugee families.

Kids came together with their families this fall and this month through our Charity Club program to learn about WRDA’s programs and all that they do to help refugees start a life here in America.

We watched a video about the programs offered by WRDA and made a list so that the kids would understand all that they do to help refugees. We also took time to look at a map showing the locations all over the globe where refugees have come from.

The children made fleece-tie blankets and welcome cards for new refugee families.

In total, between this fall and January we donated 35 fleece-tie blankets and over 200 welcome cards to World Relief DuPage/Aurora!

The Refugee Service Coordinator sent me the following photo of one of the blankets and cards in a recently arrived refugee family’s home.  She shared with us that:

“The family that received the blankets and card was a family of four from Bhutan. Their children are very young and they have been waiting a long time to come to the United States.  The parents are learning the English language and are learning how to be independent and self-sufficient in IL.

I don’t know much about their personal journey other than the fact that they have some friends here in the United States but still have lots of family back home who are waiting to be resettled.”

We’re super proud of everyone that brought donation items, painted, made blankets and welcome cards, and cared about others. Thank you.

If you are a parent of one of the children that participated, please share this photo with them so that they can see the impact of their gift and let them know how much it was appreciated.