Chicagoland
Omar Comes Home
In late 2023, Mahmoud and his family resettled in the U.S. Once here, they endured a challenging period of separation. The World Relief community walked with them.
Read MoreWhy Citizenship?
As we focus on individuals who are seeking pathways to citizenship this month, Carmen Osorio, a DOJ Accredited Representative on staff in Chicagoland, sat with us to answer some questions about citizenship. To find out more about the process of naturalization, please read more here. Thank you for learning more with us and hearing from…
Read MoreSurvive, Adapt, Rebuild
Mustafa and Dalia’s journey from their home in Syria to a new home in the U.S. lasted a decade. When they arrived, the process of adaptation continued for their family.
Read MoreEducation Matters: Lessons Learned from a Volunteer Tutor
Meet Clare Spaulding! Originally from a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, she’s lived in Chicagoland for nearly eight years. Clare works at Communities In Schools of Chicago, an education non-profit that partners with 238 Chicago Public Schools to provide no-cost programming. She resides in Lincoln Park with her husband of 2.5 years, both active members of…
Read MoreThe Road to Resilience: Part 3
How Immigrants Adapt with Support from our Counseling Center: The Invisible Load Written by Sonnie Mwangi, Mental Health Counselor & Christine Cummings, Director of Counseling Center Counselors understand that refugees and other immigrants carry more than the physical weight of their luggage when they arrive. There is an invisible load they carry of all that…
Read MoreThe Road to Resilience: Part 2
How Immigrants Adapt with Support from our Counseling Center: Identity and Status Change Written by Sonnie Mwangi, Mental Health Counselor & Christine Cummings, Director of Counseling Center As we continue the series on how immigrants adapt to life in the U.S., we’d love to explore identity and status change. In addition to the basic environmental…
Read MoreThe Road to Resilience: Part 1
How Immigrants Adapt with Support from our Counseling Center: Environmental Change Written by Sonnie Mwangi, Mental Health Counselor & Christine Cummings, Director of Counseling Center Change is a challenge to everyone. Think about the most natural thing as a birthday. Each year, as we age, our bodies change, growing when you are younger and bringing…
Read MoreEverything is New: One Refugee Family’s Adjustment after Eight Months in Chicago
Originally from Syria, Yaser, Mervat, and their three kids came to Chicago eight months ago after fleeing their country and spending years as refugees in Jordan. With your support, our team walked with the family through their initial adjustment in the areas of housing, employment, education for their kids, and more. Much remains in their…
Read MoreHow Refugees Pursue Their Dreams through Workforce Development: Prapa’s Story
Last year our workforce development team helped over 600 refugees and other immigrants find jobs. Each job placement represents a story full of loss, dreams, and hope. Employment Counselor Kailoni Wegehaupt introduces us to one inspiring family whose grit and determination is paying off as they pursue their goals after years of displacement. After nearly…
Read MoreHow Car Donations Make a Difference
Saba plans to study medicine. But when she arrived in the US two years ago, she faced a huge challenge. Due to the conflict in her home country, she was missing the documents to prove her education and get started pursuing her dreams here. With the support of our Workforce Development team, today Saba is…
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