Drivers needed
It has been a slow process but Saint Philip’s refugee family is beginning to settle in. A reminder that the family consists of a father (Aladdin), mother (Javin), their 13 year old son (Ahmed), 12 year old daughter (Leyla), and 8 year old daughter (Rojhat). There is an older daughter who remained in Kurdistan; she is married with a baby.
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest (LSS-SW) has provided much assistance, including finding a two-bedroom townhome apartment (near Grant and Tanque Verde), enrolling the children in school, obtaining necessary legal papers, and providing transportation as needed.
Donors from Saint Philip’s were very generous and donated many essential items, including new mattresses, sheets, pillows, a chest of drawers, a kitchen table with chairs, a TV (which will help the family learn English), a few $200 VISA gift cards, and toiletries. The children received two Chromebooks and bicycles with helmets.
On December 16, the volunteer team from Saint Philip’s helped move the family into their new home; it took most of an entire day. A spirited thank you to everyone who donated goods and time!
There was a hiccup with utilities initially, and the apartment did not have heat for several weeks. Saint Philip’s donors provided some space heaters and helped the family mange the cold nights. The utilities have since been turned on.
Saint Philip’s volunteers have arranged for mail delivery and helped secure a key to access the laundry room in the apartment building. That sounds like a simple task but it would not have been possible without volunteers’ assistance because the family speaks no English. This is just one example of the difference that volunteers can make in this family’s life.
The children have enrolled in school and begun classes. Saint Philip’s volunteers are working with the school to obtain low-cost internet service. Aladdin and Javin have connected with the Refugee Education Program at Pima Community College and hope to begin that program soon.
In the meantime, Aladdin has found a job through contacts in the Kurdish community. He rides to and from work with a neighbor who lives in the same apartment complex. While that is good news, Aladdin would like to work more hours but is constrained by the hours his neighbor works. In order to increase his hours, Aladdin needs volunteer support to drive him home in the late afternoon. The commute depends on traffic but it averages 30 minutes.
If you are interested in helping out with a driving shift, then please contact Dcn Leah Sandwell-Weiss at lsandwellweiss@gmail.com. Know that there is some paperwork involved and LSS-SW requires that drivers be 69 years or younger.