
Help Save Refugee Support Chicago Free Store!
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Refugee Support Chicago (RSC) was founded in September 2023 in response to the migrant crisis. We are a 100% volunteer run nonprofit that provides clothing and essentials to migrants with dignity, care, and discretion. The new administration just announced the end of refugee resettlement services–our work is more in demand than ever. We are in critical need of funding and donated space to continue our operations.
Context of our Work
To date, over 50,000 migrants from Venezuela as well as other Latin American countries have arrived in Chicago by bus without clothing, essentials, or a place to sleep. Unfortunately, the new arrivals did not have the safety net of an established local community from their home country. Further, the city was not prepared for this huge influx of people who lacked access to federally-funded refugee support services.
Volunteers self-organized RSC to help fill the cracks where the city and other established organizations weren’t able to provide for all basic needs. To date, we have helped over 2,000 asylum seekers–both housed and unhoused–with their most urgent needs. We solicit and receive donations of goods based on needs including clothing from baby to adult, baby necessities, toiletries, shoes, blankets, household goods, furniture, train passes, nutrition support, over the counter medicine, and toys. We make sure these are distributed to refugees who need them with dignity and discretion. We do not turn away anyone in need from our store.
Current needs
We were very fortunate to operate out of a donated empty storefront for the past 8 months, but the property just sold and we were given 3 weeks to find another home. We have built great relationships in Uptown and really hope to stay there.
Our ongoing expenses include insurance, utilities, gas and maintenance for our recently donated cargo van, nutrition support, storage rent, etc. We are bracing ourselves for the possibility that we may need to raise enough to cover a year's rent for a storefront.
The new wave of executive orders and mandates are making our work even more challenging. The administration just announced the end of refugee resettlement services, and there are new safety concerns for people who are not American citizens. We’ve mostly worked with asylum seekers, but now may need to reconsider what are the most pressing humanitarian crises at this moment. We have already had to pivot multiple times since our founding as needs and seasons have changed, and we’re prepared to adapt to ever-changing contexts so that we can continue to provide the most support we can to the Chicagoans who need it the most.
Lastly...
As a completely volunteer run effort, every dollar you give goes directly into the support we provide to community members. To read more about our impact in the community, here are some news articles:
Chicago volunteers scramble to help migrants with little guidance from city [CBS News]
North Side free store a beacon for Chicago migran [WBBM News Radio]
Uptown Free Store For Refugees Homeless Chicagoan [Block Club Chicago]
Its our duty to do what we can do: Evanston woman [Evanston Roundtable]
THANK YOU for any and all support you can give!
Please join us on Facebook: Refugee Support Chicago on Facebook
*If you are located in Chicago and have space to donate, please send us a message so that we can follow up directly. We are currently exploring many leads but do not yet have space secured.
Organizer

Debra Michaud
Organizer
Chicago, IL