Stories
14 Years of Volunteering
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…
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…
Read MoreStarting Small
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…
Read MoreMaking Connections
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…
Read MoreRefugee Family Dentistry
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…
Read MoreEfoe Davis: Resettlement Through the Eyes of a Caseworker
Efoe Davis is a caseworker at World Relief Western Washington in our King County office, who regularly meets with individuals and families as they transition to their new life in the U.S. Here, he shares the joys and challenges of resettlement from his vantage point: The Challenges On December 20, 2021, I greeted a family…
Read MoreRecipes from Afghanistan: Haft Mewa
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…
Read MoreOwning Your Identity
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…
Read MoreKnowing Your Worth
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…
Read MoreSpreading Kindness and Warmth
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…
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