A message from RefugeeOne* on the Ramirez Family!
Thank you, ICSJ Parish, for your generous and incredibly timely gift to RefugeeOne. We’re so grateful your parish has opted to co-sponsor the Ramirez family. As you know, the new administration has temporarily suspended the resettlement program, however this does not prohibit us from continuing to serve clients to the best of our abilities as they rebuild their lives in Chicago. We’ll ensure that the Ramirez family has access to all of our programs, such as housing, resume and job support,…
Read moreOur first refugee family has been in the United States for almost 8 years now! Since their first day here, they have been accompanied by ICSJ parishioners as they settled into their new life in Chicago. After huge milestones and celebrations, like becoming American Citizens, the family has a new and wonderful accomplishment they would like to share with our parish community.
Idrees, 17 years old, just received a well-earned, 4-year, renewable, Trustee Scholarship to Loyola University Chicago as a part of the Class of 2029!! Beginning in August of 2025, he will study…
Read moreHappy New Year! I am so excited to share that ICSJ’s Refugee Ministry is starting off strong in 2025 with a new financial co-sponsorship for a family resettling in the Chicago area.
You may remember at the end of last year, we collected items for a family of six who recently resettled in West Rogers Park. We also connected the family with “New Neighbors” from our very own ICSJ parish community, Dan and Kim Stolze and Jaime and Maria Valle, to help them get settled into their new life in Chicago! These efforts are through our partners at Exodus World Service who…
Read moreWe are so excited to share with you a bit of an introduction to the sweet family I’ve been spending time with as a refugee volunteer - the Thabit family; a father, mother, and 4 year old boy. They waited 9 long years in Jordan after fleeing their home country of Yemen and finally made it safely to Chicago. Because of all of this, there is a nearly tangible, overflowing spirit of gratitude when you’re around them. The time my sons and I have spent with them has been seriously wonderful. I expected the first meeting to be a little awkward - just meeting one another, not speaking the same language…
Read moreIn December of 2022, our first ‘Pioneer Refugee’ family’s father became a U.S. Citizen. We are thrilled to share that his wife became a citizen in November, enabling their minor children to gain their citizenship also! They are grateful beyond words for the love and support from our ICSJ family of families since their arrival from Kabul, Afghanistan nearly seven years ago where the father had worked with our US Military. He has been employed consistently since their arrival, the mother has beautifully managed the family, and the children have been model students and great athletes at their schools.
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