Refugee Outreach Ministry

Check the calendar for our next meeting date.

Join us, in response to the call of Pope Francis, to welcome and help refugees.

Our mission is to provide hands-on service to refugees who have been forced to leave their countries to escape war, persecution or natural disaster.  We will work with local agencies who are already engaged in providing services to refugees in our area.

These are legal refugees fully vetted through a 2-year investigatory process by the Department of State and Homeland Security.   They come from all over the world.

ITEM DONATIONS COLLECTED ON JUNE 23 AFTER ALL MASSES

Your parish Refugee Committee has agreed to provide some basic supplies, e.g., blankets, shampoo, dishes, etc., to help set up an apartment through the International Rescue Committee (IRC) for a refugee family arriving toward the end of June.  Items will be collected at Masses on Sunday, June 23.

This is intended to be a parish-wide ministry.  A list of needed items has been sent to our refugee email group. This is an open  invitation for anyone else in the parish who is interested in    supporting this ministry. If you are not on our mailing list and are interested in donating supplies, please express your interest by emailing us at [email protected]. After we receive your email, we will send a list of items still needed; you can then decide if you would like to provide any of these items.

We can add you to our mailing list (we do not send out endless emails, only when there is an event coming up), or, if you don’t want to be on our mailing list, we will welcome your one-time offer to help us with this event.

Please see below to learn more about this ministry and ways to get involved.  For information on upcoming events ask to be added to our mailing list email us at [email protected].

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Examples of Volunteer Work:

• Welcome them to the Seattle area and to their new homes
• Teach them about grocery shopping and the METRO system
• Provide transportation
• Help them complete paperwork and resumes for employment
• Help them enroll children in school
• Assist with ESL training

REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAM BASIC INFORMATION (FAQs)

What is the refugee committee doing at this time?

As a committee, we are working with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and have committed to periodically provide all the items, except major furniture, to fully equip an apartment for an arriving family.  This includes providing items like linens, cleaning supplies, kitchen essentials, dishes, and personal care items.  We also transport the items to the apartment and set everything up.

Are there any other committee activities?

Several of our members volunteer at the IRC office in SeaTac helping them with organizing their apartment supplies, and working with refugees in areas of finances, transportation, and employment – resume’s, job applications, American workplace culture and mock interview practice.

Other than household items, can I make a cash donation to this ministry?

We have a fund that is earmarked for this ministry.  The best donate money is to make a check payable to St. Madeleine Sophie parish and make clear it is for the Refugee Outreach Ministry.  This money is used to supply missing items needed for an apartment setup. It is also used to provide extras like DVD players or televisions that help refugees learn English.

I am downsizing and have some furniture that I would like to donate; can you use that?

Furniture items are furnished to the apartments by the IRC. We do not have the space to store furniture. You may have to arrange to get furniture items to the IRC.  To see if they can use your items, call the IRC office directly and ask for Francis. The main office number is 206-623-2105.

Acceptable used furniture (in good condition – no rips, tears, dents, smells, stains present or repairs needed):

• · Couch (regular size – no oversized or hide-a-beds)
• · Small living room chairs
• · Dining table and chairs (dinette size)
• · Small end or coffee tables
• · Lamps
• · Small chests of drawers and nightstands
• · Cribs and other baby furniture
• · Car seats, booster seats, baby carriers, strollers, playpens, etc.

I also have some smaller household items that might be used; how do you handle those?

Any household items should be in like new condition – no chips, dents, tears, stains or missing pieces etc. The best way to donate is when we have one of our drives to set up an entire apartment.  These happen several times a year.  A list of needed items is sent out to our mailing list and you can select the items you want to donate.  If you want to be added to the list as a possible donor, contact [email protected].  If you want to donate items at a time we are not having a drive, contact the above email, and we will let you know if we can use the items at that time.  We have limited storage at the church so are not always able to accept donated items.

Acceptable used household items (all in good condition):

• · Small appliances – rice cookers, toasters, irons, woks, etc. (working only)
• · Vacuum cleaners
• · Microwaves
• · Brooms and dustpans
• · Laundry baskets
• · Kitchen or bathroom wastebaskets
• · Mops
• · Flat screen televisions
• · DVD players
• · Working computers (monitors with CPUs)
• · Dishes, bowls (no stains or chips)
• · Glasses (sets of 4 or more)
• · Eating utensils
• · Mixing bowls
• · Cutlery
• · Wrist watches
• · Pots and pans (clean, not warped)
• · Alarm clocks
• · Radios
• · Bicycles and tricycles
• · Sports equipment like soccer balls, bike helmets

For further information or to volunteer, contact [email protected] or Ken Ramsey, 425-746-3463