News from Refugee Immigration Ministry
We had twenty RIM clients arrive in the Boston area within three weeks before Christmas — four separate families, two have settled in Lynn, one is in Chelsea, and one is in Waltham . . . with lots of kids of all ages.
Three of the families are from Congo but coming via a refugee camp in Rwanda, the other family is from Somalia. Anyhow, the cluster volunteers are pretty much going crazy trying to get everyone comfortably settled and while the basics are in place, we are still looking for a number of items and help . . . All of the families are great people, very appreciative and fun to work with…too bad it’s so coooold! No doubt this week was the first view of snow for them!
Please see the list below and if you have things to contribute, you can let Ellen Prokopow know and we will work out the logistics of getting the items to the families.
The most immediate needs are for:
One car seat or if possible two for the Waltham clients
- Back packs…as many as possible, kids need them immediately for school, but adults would probably also use them to carry things to classes and training programs.
- Also school supplies: 3-ring binders, filler paper, pencils, pens, erasers, colored pencils, calculators, markers, pencil pouches, rulers, whatever else your kids need for school or things that might be needed at home for homework/projects.
- Twin/single bed frames…as many as possible
- Warm blankets and double or queen sheets
- Rugs of varying sizes
- Two straight chairs for the dining room (or folding chairs)
- An armchair or loveseat or two
- Digital-to-analog box and antenna for an older TV (to allow the TV to work without cable)
- CD player/radios
- Alarm clocks
- Winter boots: 5 1/2 women’s
5 1/2 boy’s
8 1/2 men’s (2 pair)
9 women’s
11 men’s
8 men’s
also boots More for high school age people and adults - Winter shoes, same sizes.
- Warm winter socks
- Warm pajamas
- Lots of warm long-sleeved clothes for young boys…fleece tops, sweaters, sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, warm pants, snow pants.
- Lots of warm long-sleeved clothes for older teens/early twenties, both boys and girls
- Warm long-sleeved clothes for a size 14, tall, long-armed woman…particularly skirts and dresses
- A continuing supply of things that food stamps don’t pay for:
- paper products like paper towels, kleenex, toilet paper and napkins,
- personal care items like moisturizing lotion, soap, shampoo, toothpaste,
- cleaning products like Mr. Clean, bathroom cleanser, dishwashing liquid, and lots of laundry detergent…the two families of seven have a lot of dirty clothes!
- Toys/activities/books for a three-year-old girl, 11 year-old boy, and boys who are 7, 9 and 13…maybe Legos? puzzles? concentration? especially stuff to help with vocabulary and numbers and alphabet but just anything fun.
- Things for older kids too…17, 20, 21, etc. A DVD player, while a luxury, would be much appreciated.
- MONEY…for socks and underwear and things that don’t get donated and the point people have to go out to buy, laundry expenses.
Anything you have, you can bring to Nancy Toney’s porch at 334 East Foster Street in Melrose or just email her at toneybn@gmail.com and she will put the info out to the point people so it can get where it’s needed.
These clients are all wonderful, appreciative, warm people. Knowing them will
enrich your life. Please help us help them! You could:
Teach English or help them practice…we have a RIM curriculum that comes with
training materials and is easy to teach.
Take clients to the library to get a library card and show them the resources that are available and how to get there on their own.
Take the clients food shopping. They have food stamps but need a ride.
Take clients to the Laundromat to wash their clothes. Families of seven have a lot of dirty clothes!
Show them how to take the bus into Boston or wherever else they want to go.
Take clients to a supermarket that has African food, which may be at a distance from their house.
Drive the Waltham family to Boston Medical Center. They need to go once a month.
Be on a call list to drive people to appointments.
Invite the clients to your home or take them somewhere like a museum or visit them in their home and show them how to play a game.
Take clients shopping for items that are not donated, like shoes, boots, underwear, socks, or do some shopping alone for us.
