Refugee Hope

My wife Sarah and I, began helping the refugee humanitarian crisis happening in Chicago about 2 months ago. Thousands of refugees are being dropped off at local Chicago police stations with little more than T-shirts and sandals. With the weather worsening, we dove into the situation at D15, working with a collection of volunteers who have been volunteering their time and energy, and collecting funds and materials for months.

Through our combined efforts, we successfully got hundreds off the streets and into temporary shelter in Oak Park, which motivated the Chicago church community to dramatically increase their efforts. The so-called Shower Days at St. Lucy's are now serving close to 300 people in need twice a week, and people are coming from far away. The need is great.

Sarah and I also became personally involved when we brought a family of 4 into our two bedroom apartment when the mother had a violent crime committed against her while attempting to get an apartment. As a result there have been a host of medical issues to attend to, legal paperwork, ICE meetings, vaccinations, enrolling the children in school, psychological and monetary support to get the most basic needs met, and the list continues.

As we figure out solutions for our immediate new Venezuelan family, we have been expanding that knowledge into the larger refugee community both around us and with your support throughout the greater Chicago Area, as well as a Zen dojo community based in Wisconsin with a global impact.

One additional way your support would help us it that it would enable us to engage in Micro Financing. For example, one of our beloved new "Sons" could get a work permit but the cost is $600.00. While he is working odd jobs to earn some money, he is sending it to his mother in Venezuela who needs an emergency surgery. We want to loan him the $600 at 1% interest, and empower him to get the work permit. Once he returns the loan, we can then repeat the process with another person in need.

Thank you so very much for considering helping us help others. We keep discovering more and more people of amazing goodwill, and we want to expand our ability to help these beautiful people who just need a bit of support to get established and integrated. From our interactions with many of them in the past 2 months, we absolutely know that they will pay it forward for years and decades to come. They literally share half of their possessions with new arrivals! Let's spread some hope!

Sincerely,

David and Sarah Rose

With our three sons, Wilken, Logan, and Ethan

P.S. Yes, that is a googly Eye our new "granddaughter" put on Sarah's nose in the photo!