<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_1738503119125050_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_173850291551489_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_1738502808720136_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_1738502765209476_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_1738502699762228_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/79077457_1738502665989874_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><strong>Refugee Support Chicago (RSC)</strong> 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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Context of our Work</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Current needs</strong>
</div>
<div>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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Lastly...</strong>
</div>
<div>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:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/chicago-migrant-volunteers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chicago volunteers scramble to help migrants with </a>little guidance from city [CBS News]
</div>
<div><a href="https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news/local/refugee-support-chicago-free-store-a-beacon-for-migrants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">North Side free store a beacon for Chicago migran</a> [WBBM News Radio]
</div>
<div><a href="https://evanstonnow.com/refugees-terrified-of-possible-trump-raids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Refugees terrified of possible Trump raids [Evan</a>ston Now]
</div>
<div><a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/01/29/uptown-free-store-for-refugees-homeless-chicagoans-is-looking-for-a-new-home/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0QAGdX47x-khQVLcArCko9C-ggNltOXZpV-ZK8MXWehyB0a9PPzJEFLhA_aem_c9qATq-9gsJBTQZEYV59qw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Uptown Free Store For Refugees Homeless Chicagoan</a> [Block Club Chicago]
</div>
<div><a href="https://evanstonroundtable.com/2025/01/30/its-our-duty-to-do-what-we-can-do-evanston-woman-works-to-support-refugees/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Its our duty to do what we can do: Evanston woman</a> [Evanston Roundtable]
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>THANK YOU for any and all support you can give!
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Please join us on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/279536191612763" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Refugee Support Chicago on Facebook</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>*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.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>

Sofia Wright

Jason Burrell

Allan Brodsky

Adam Morley

Ben Winick

emily blodgett

Kristin Grant

Joshua Kraus

Anonymous

Steve Zahn

Joseph Gottlieb

Khondker Hossain

Tim Pilch

Kristen Mingione

Lindsay Dansdill

Help Keep Refugee Support Chicago Alive!

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Eligible for Profile Comment Badge

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

NPO upsell education category

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

NPO recommendations prod

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

isEligibleForProfileCommentBadge

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

categoryGroup

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.3.0 and above

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

NPO upsell animals category

NPO upsell disaster relief category

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

NPO upsell essential needs category

NPO upsell medical category

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

NPO upsell cancer category

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Help Keep Refugee Support Chicago Alive!

Still $28,169 to go. Help us build momentum.