Support a Single Mother of 8
Donation protected
Help these recent refugee arrivals--a single mother and her eight children-- avoid homelessness and create lasting stability.
Mariam and her eight children are from the Darfur region of Sudan. Before immigrating to the United States in September of 2014 as refugees, Mariam and her children lived for 5 years in a refugee camp in western Ethiopia. They fled Darfur because of the genocide that has been ongoing for over 10 years. Mariam is a single mother of 8 children ranging in age from 6 to 18. She works long hours in food packing to support herself and her family but her income and government benefits are not enough.
We (Matthew and Myriah) volunteer with the family through a federally recognized refugee resettlment agency. We have been working with the family since November of 2014 and see Mariam and her kids several times a week. We have grown to know and care for Mariam and each of her lovely children and it is truly a highlight of our week to spend time with them.
In addition to helping the family navigate the resettlement process and get to know the local Portland area we help the children with school, take the family grocery shopping, connect the family to local community resources, and teach them about budgeting and paying bills. We play sports with the kids, practice their English (and our Arabic), and take walks to the neighborhood library.
Over the months we have developed an amazing friendship with this family and we care deeply about their success in building their life here. The US can be an incredible place to raise a family...and an incredibly challenging place to navigate...and as a single mother of eight children with limited English-language skills, the difficulties of keeping a family afloat are immense.
Their monthly rent alone is $1450.
They owe over $11,000 for their airline tickets to the United States.
Their electric bill is past due. Thier water bill is past due.
The federal poverty level for a family of 9 is $45,000 for 2015. The family's income, with benefits, falls far below this.
Quite simply, the family is facing steadily mounting overdue bills and is struggling to stay afloat.
We are reaching out to you because we know you care. We know that you understand that everyone is better off when everyone is better off. Supporting this family is supporting eight young, bright minds reach their potential and move from surving to thriving. By donating you are helping support a single refugee mother support herself and her children.
Every dollar that you donate will help bring this family stability and long-term planning potential. By donating you are making it possible for the children to stay in school, which will in turn help them develop self-sufficiency, self-confidence and the tools to navigate life in the US.
In talking with the family we have created the following wish list, in addition for the ongoing need for monetary donations:
1) Gift card donations to purchase new clothes, shoes, socks and rain jackets (Old Navy, Fredmeyer, Payless, H&M, etc.)
2) Grocery store gift cards (Winco, Fredmeyer, etc.)
3) Home goods gift cards for blankets and towels (Target, Fredmeyer, etc.)
We thank you endlessly for your donations. If you would like to know more about our involvement with the family, or would like to send the family checks or gift cards, please contact Matthew or Myriah directly.
To learn more about the refugee crisis and ongoing genocide in Sudan, we can recommend the article Dying in Darfur, and the novels The Interpreter (Daoud Hari) and What is the What (Dave Eggers).
This site was made with Mariam's permission and gratitude for your support and kindness.
Mariam and her eight children are from the Darfur region of Sudan. Before immigrating to the United States in September of 2014 as refugees, Mariam and her children lived for 5 years in a refugee camp in western Ethiopia. They fled Darfur because of the genocide that has been ongoing for over 10 years. Mariam is a single mother of 8 children ranging in age from 6 to 18. She works long hours in food packing to support herself and her family but her income and government benefits are not enough. We (Matthew and Myriah) volunteer with the family through a federally recognized refugee resettlment agency. We have been working with the family since November of 2014 and see Mariam and her kids several times a week. We have grown to know and care for Mariam and each of her lovely children and it is truly a highlight of our week to spend time with them. In addition to helping the family navigate the resettlement process and get to know the local Portland area we help the children with school, take the family grocery shopping, connect the family to local community resources, and teach them about budgeting and paying bills. We play sports with the kids, practice their English (and our Arabic), and take walks to the neighborhood library.
Over the months we have developed an amazing friendship with this family and we care deeply about their success in building their life here. The US can be an incredible place to raise a family...and an incredibly challenging place to navigate...and as a single mother of eight children with limited English-language skills, the difficulties of keeping a family afloat are immense. Their monthly rent alone is $1450.
They owe over $11,000 for their airline tickets to the United States.
Their electric bill is past due. Thier water bill is past due.
The federal poverty level for a family of 9 is $45,000 for 2015. The family's income, with benefits, falls far below this.
Quite simply, the family is facing steadily mounting overdue bills and is struggling to stay afloat.
We are reaching out to you because we know you care. We know that you understand that everyone is better off when everyone is better off. Supporting this family is supporting eight young, bright minds reach their potential and move from surving to thriving. By donating you are helping support a single refugee mother support herself and her children.
Every dollar that you donate will help bring this family stability and long-term planning potential. By donating you are making it possible for the children to stay in school, which will in turn help them develop self-sufficiency, self-confidence and the tools to navigate life in the US. In talking with the family we have created the following wish list, in addition for the ongoing need for monetary donations:
1) Gift card donations to purchase new clothes, shoes, socks and rain jackets (Old Navy, Fredmeyer, Payless, H&M, etc.)
2) Grocery store gift cards (Winco, Fredmeyer, etc.)
3) Home goods gift cards for blankets and towels (Target, Fredmeyer, etc.)
We thank you endlessly for your donations. If you would like to know more about our involvement with the family, or would like to send the family checks or gift cards, please contact Matthew or Myriah directly.
To learn more about the refugee crisis and ongoing genocide in Sudan, we can recommend the article Dying in Darfur, and the novels The Interpreter (Daoud Hari) and What is the What (Dave Eggers).
This site was made with Mariam's permission and gratitude for your support and kindness.
Organizer
Myriah Heddens
Organizer
Portland, OR