Building Welcoming Communities
Following in World Relief’s Footsteps
As many of our families’ children return to school, we wanted to highlight the community members who strove to make their first summer in the U.S. memorable. Former refugee Kokazi Elangi is doing for others what World Relief did for him. A Simple Mission Kokazi Elangi came to the United States from the Democratic Republic…
Read MoreBuilding Community One Race at a Time
As many of our families’ children return to school, we wanted to highlight the community members who strove to make their first summer in the U.S. memorable. Running is Joe Moreno’s passion, and it’s inspired him to give back. Returning the Favor Joe Moreno has been heavily involved in the Quad City community for 50…
Read MorePart of the Journey: Interning at WRQC
Many local college graduates get their start by interning at World Relief Quad Cities. Sloane is excited to follow in the footsteps of Augie alumni and make a difference in her community. Why I Chose World Relief Quad Cities When looking for internship opportunities, I wanted to find something that would be challenging and rewarding.…
Read MoreA Look Into Casework: Marci Arreguin
Many local college graduates get their start by interning at World Relief Quad Cities. After her internship, Marci stayed on the team to become a caseworker. Intern to Caseworker Marci Arreguin is a caseworker at World Relief in the Quad Cities. Just recently, she graduated from Augustana College and majored in Public Health and minored…
Read MoreWhy We Welcome: Faith-Based Refugee Resettlement
What motivates us to welcome the stranger? Not all Americans support welcoming refugees to the US, but research in the Quad Cities tells a different story.
Read MoreBuilding a Community of Safety and Belonging
A reflection from World Relief Chicagoland Executive Director Susan Sperry. June is World Refugee Awareness Month. And on June 20th, we celebrate World Refugee Day. This year, the theme of World Refugee Day is focused on the human right to seek safety. Whoever they are, people forced to flee should be treated with dignity. Anyone can…
Read MoreAli’s Story: A Refugee Pharmacist Using His Career to Give Back to Others
In 2010, a man named Ali AlQaisi arrived to the U.S. as a refugee from Iraq. At home in Baghdad, he had worked as a pharmacist. But when he and his family arrived to the United States, he faced the challenge of starting over entirely. He had to rebuild his life. He had to restart…
Read More5 Ways You Can Lead in Your Community
Creating communities of love and welcome requires all of us. We believe that we each have a part to play and as Susan Sperry reflects in last week’s blog, we all can lead from where we are. For many of us, leading from where we are can feel intimidating and sometimes, we get stuck. If…
Read MoreA Reflection During Volunteer Appreciation Month
Along with the coming of spring and the celebration of Easter, April is when World Relief celebrates National Volunteer Appreciation week. A week when we recognize the profound impact of volunteers and the lasting change they bring to our communities.
Read MorePartner Spotlight: Greg & Olivia Evans on “Who is my neighbor?”
When their children were school-age and began attending the neighborhood school right around the corner, Greg and Olivia Evans quickly realized something. The students their children were sitting next to in class did not look like them. From a distance, they watched school counselors and teachers meeting the needs of recently resettled refugees. They saw…
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