Posts by eparrigin

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Clare is a mom who does it all, going above and beyond for anyone who steps into her office. Here’s her story. A guide for mothers Clarissa Stephenson knows how hard being a mother can be. Not only is she the mother of her two and a half…

The Democratic Republic of Congo has 25 provinces and over 200 tribes, but they all experience violence and discrimination. Eddy recently reunited with his brother, niece, and nephew who stayed behind in a refugee camp after losing their home. Here’s his story.  Followed by War Edouard “Eddy” Iranzi was born into war. In 1996, fighting…

When Karen first heard of Word Relief in 2008, she thought to herself, “What is that?” Once she realized there was a need for donations, she gathered some towels and home goods left over from her move and brought them to the agency. Karen drove a Volkswagen van. The man who met her at the…

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. A new role When Leah Lesh learned about the many refugee families living in the Quad Cities through an event at her local church, she realized she needed to help these families any…

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. A new purpose When Trisha Poole heard about the refugees from Afghanistan at the end of last year, she knew she had to help any way she could.     “My heart just yearned…

It’s Volunteer Appreciation Month! Here’s to our dedicated volunteers and all the work they do to make a difference in our community. An urgent need Craig Peterson knew he had to do something when he and his family learned about the staggering amount of refugee families in the Quad Cities. “My wife was the one…

Celebrating a new year Talking about Nawroz puts a smile on Ahmadi’s face. Nawroz is the Afghanistan new year. It falls on March 21st, which also marks the first day of spring. On Nawroz, families wake up early, put on new clothes, and begin the day with prayer.  “It’s a day to thank God for…

In honor of International Women’s Day, some of our staff have shared their stories about how they’re breaking gender bias to create an equal world. Close to the heart Lupe Nache Vital never misses a chance to honor her Mexican roots. With a vivid portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe to watch over her and…

When Grace Fitzpatrick thinks about the time she’s spent working at World Relief Quad Cities, she feels proud of the representation of women in the office.     “World Relief is unique in which the the director of the office is a woman, the volunteers here are mostly women”, Fitzpatrick says, “it’s been relieving to not…

Random acts of kindness can completely transform someone’s day. They inspire us to go out into the world, give, and become part of something greater than ourselves. Here’s how Riley makes a difference. A career in giving back When not going to concerts or hanging out with her two cats and pet snake, Riley Vaughan…