A little over a year ago, Anna* faced an impossible situation. An asylum-seeker from Eastern Europe and young mother to a 7-month-old baby, she had reached the maximum number of nights allowed by the temporary shelter she was staying at in Chicago and had nowhere to go. She had no car, no job and no family nearby — only the desperate need for a safe place to call home.
Then, she got a phone call that changed everything.
A compassionate property owner with four vacant units had heard that asylum-seekers in his area needed shelter. Through World Relief, he offered Anna an apartment.
On top of that, a group of volunteers from Good Shepherd Lutheran Church heard about Anna from World Relief Chicagoland and formed a H.O.M.E (Housing, Opportunity, Mutuality and Empowerment) team to support her. Their first mission: help her move into her new apartment just before Christmas.
When Anna walked through the door of her new home, she was overwhelmed. “I can’t believe my daughter and I get to live here,” she said. “I’ve never experienced such kindness.”
But the greatest gift wasn’t just housing. It was a loving community.
Anna’s H.O.M.E. team surrounded her with support, providing rides to job interviews and doctor’s appointments. They celebrated every milestone — finding childcare, landing a job and finally saving enough to buy a car.
At one point, a member from Anna’s team drove her to Good Shepherd’s Christmas Eve service. That simple act became a turning point. Since that service, Anna has continued coming back, walking to church every Sunday with her baby.
Anna’s story is a testament to what happens when the people of God step up to answer their calling, not just with words but with action. Today, the need to boldly step forward in love is only growing.
A Growing Crisis at Our Doorstep
Sadly, Anna’s struggle is not unique. Amid rising global displacement, large numbers of asylum-seekers reached the U.S.-Mexico border in 2024, fleeing from persecution or violence in their home countries and searching for legal protection and a safe place to rebuild their lives.
Some southern border states reacted with a controversial policy of transporting asylum-seekers to other cities like New York, Denver and Chicago. As more asylum-seekers like Anna arrived in Chicago, the city faced a growing challenge. Shelters filled beyond capacity, and families, many with young children, were left sleeping in tents outside police stations.
Thousands of asylum-seekers and families faced the same urgent questions Anna did: Where would they sleep? How would they rebuild their lives?
In response, churches across Chicagoland stepped up.
A Church-Led Solution in Partnership with World Relief
For Pat Masek, a staff member at Community Christian Church in Naperville, getting involved in asylum ministry was unexpected. “I had no experience with immigration,” she admitted. “But when I saw the need, I knew the church had to act.”
Now, she’s making a big difference in the lives of asylum-seekers like Anna. Through her network, she was the one that connected the generous property owner who donated his vacant apartments to house Anna and other asylum-seekers. World Relief Chicagoland then matched these families with local church teams ready to support them. Churches like Good Shepherd Lutheran and South Park Church stepped forward, helping families enroll children in school, provide housing, find jobs and adjust to a new culture.
These efforts were part of World Relief Chicagoland’s H.O.M.E. program, which provides asylum-seeking families with six months of housing and financial support, while also offering practical and relational care.
Much like World Relief’s Good Neighbor Teams, H.O.M.E. teams help families:
- Secure stable housing and cover initial rent and basic needs
- Adjust to life in the U.S. through mentorship and practical support
- Find loving community, ensuring they are not alone on their journey
Jeannine Allen was one of the volunteers in Anna’s H.O.M.E. team. “For months, we stood by Anna and her baby as they faced one of the hardest chapters of their lives,” Jeannine said. “But through it all, she had an unwavering determination, a hopeful spirit and a fierce love for her daughter.”
Jeanine and Anna have since developed a friendship that crosses generations. When Anna was ready for her baby daughter to be baptized, she asked Jeannine to be her godmother.
Beyond Housing: Equipping Families for the Future
Housing is just the beginning of the support journey. In partnership with local churches, World Relief Chicagoland is also walking alongside asylum-seekers and providing critical support through case management and legal assistance. The Asylum Legal Clinic (ALC) at World Relief Chicagoland ensures families can move forward in their asylum process with confidence.
In FY24, the ALC:
- Represented 41 asylum-seekers from 18 different countries
- Secured 28 work permits
- Helped 20 asylum cases receive approval
- Assisted 11 individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications
- Processed 128 asylum Change of Venue and work permit applications
“The need was overwhelming, but churches in Chicagoland rose to the challenge,”said Holly Tseng, regional director of volunteer engagement. “Their support was life-changing for asylum-seekers trying to rebuild their lives.”
“Home” Is More Than Four Walls
Through stories like Anna’s, we’re reminded that home is more than just a place. Whether through our church partners in the H.O.M.E. program or our staff providing legal aid, it’s the people who walk alongside us, offering kindness, stability and hope who create a sense of belonging. The power of community changes everything.
As the global displacement crisis continues to worsen with each passing year and more and more families are forced to flee their homes, the support of the church is needed now more than ever. Thanks to your generosity and the courageous hospitality of the church, people like Anna are finding a place — and community — to call home.
*Name changed