This is a guest blog written by Anne Quetua, Leader of the Youth Advocacy Board at Wheaton North High School
We are the Youth Board for World Relief, a dedicated group of high school students committed to engaging our peers in supporting local refugees. My personal journey with World Relief Chicagoland was inspired by my father, an immigrant from the Philippines and a former tutor for World Relief. He often shared his experiences of immigrating to the U.S. and the profound impact of teaching English to a Sudanese refugee who initially spoke only his name.
After volunteering as an activity leader at World Relief’s Breakthrough Summer Camp, I sought to unite more high school students to support refugees in DuPage County. Our Youth Board began with a small group from my school’s Christian community, the Falcons for Him Club, and has since expanded to include students from neighboring schools.
Initially, we faced challenges, such as forgetting to request essential materials for our first meeting and coordinating schedules. However, we quickly established regular monthly meetings, planned our inaugural fundraising events, and began to engage with our community on social media.
Our first major event was a silent auction fundraiser to support World Relief Chicago’s Moved to Welcome initiative. We reached out to local businesses for donations, successfully securing gift cards and tickets from teams like the Chicago White Sox. Additionally, we organized a Welcome Kit Drive at Jewel-Osco in Wheaton, collecting food and household items for incoming refugee families. As customers entered the store, we distributed lists of requested items and welcomed cash donations. Although we faced some opposition, a refugee customer’s gratitude for our efforts provided encouragement and motivation.
Through these initiatives, we raised approximately $1,300 and collected around 900 pounds of food and supplies for newly arrived refugees.
This year, the Youth Board aims to broaden our reach by welcoming more dedicated members from DuPage County schools. We will continue hosting monthly Zoom meetings to discuss refugee-related issues and are planning additional fundraising events, with potential volunteer opportunities at World Relief’s Homework Club.
We are excited to continue our support for creating a welcoming community for refugees and invite you to join us in this vital mission. Together, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of refugees.