Posts Tagged ‘Quad Cities’

For anyone transitioning to life in America, it can be quite the culture shock compared to living in your previous country of residence.

But for No Niang, relocating to the United States from Myanmar was something that didn’t strike her as shocking compared to her parents or siblings.

“Refugees are very cultural,” Niang explains, “They will be shocked when experiencing a new way of living or traditions different from their own. Burmese families tend to eat and live together, which is something not normally done in the U.S. Coming to the U.S. was nothing shocking for me because I had learned about American history in my home country.”

Niang arrived in the United States in 2016 as a refugee and discovered World Relief from her case worker at the time, Astrid. From attending summer camps with Astrid, she taught No about the importance of education and how to further her education.

“If it wasn’t for Astrid, I would not have known about how to apply for college, apply for grants and loans, and how to continue my educational path,” Niang says, “She did so much to help me and I wouldn’t be here in this position because of her”.

Upon graduating in 2019, Niang was offered a position at World Relief Quad Cities as a census coordinator, which she worked until 2020 when she had to adopt the new and unexpected position of COVID outreach coordinator in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was a lot for me at the time but it was something I had to do,” she said.

Currently, Niang works at World Relief QC as a case worker, and hopes to have the same impact on incoming refugees as Astrid did for her.

“I want to help others with their arrival to American cities, and I’m glad this job is allowing me to meet more people and to help people as best as I can.”

Brady Johnson is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

Out in the Community

De’Andre’s passion is making a difference.

As the Street Outreach Coordinator for Christian Care Men’s Shelter covering Rock Island, Henry, and Mercer counties, his personality and understanding of people led him to the community.

Most of his time is spent contacting homeless individuals in need of resources. He helps secure housing or shelter, food, water, sleeping bags, backpacks, and bus tokens, and assists with obtaining Social Security Disability benefits.

“I just feel I was placed here by the Lord to do his work and make a difference with my personality and understanding of people and the Love and Peace,” De’Andre said.

De’Andre partners with other agencies to help those individuals obtain resources that his organization may not be able to directly provide.

Project Now Community Action Agency is one particular organization that De’Andre works closely with. Together, they navigate services for homeless individuals in the most effective ways possible.

His position as the Street Outreach Coordinator allows him to assist people in remote areas who may not be able to get information on available services, or who may not be able to access those places.

Helping Others Grow

The work De’Andre does allows him to build relationships and share information with other community agencies. His spiritual desire to help others motivates him along the way.

“I believe God has assigned certain people in your life to help guide you, so I just try to be that person and that alone motivates me,” he said, “It’s important to me because it is morally the right thing to do in life, to see someone else’s growth in life and help them grow when you are in a position to help”.

A Growing Need

Overall, De’Andre hopes that his work impacts everyone who could benefit from the services – not just in the Quad Cities, but across the nation. He’s driven to shine a light on the issues faced by people who are homeless.

In a year and a half, De’Andre has made contact with at least 300 people whose biggest needs are housing, shelter, rent or deposit assistance, and hotel vouchers.

He needs more support from the Community in working towards the goal of reducing the homeless population to zero.

“I’ve found through ups and downs in life it made me a better person, and if I can make it from where I come from and help the next make it along the way in this life Journey, I will,” De’Andre said.

De’Andre would like to spread the word that Christian Care is in the process of opening a shelter for women and children soon.

Madison Hoffeditz has a B.A. in Psychology and Sociology from Augustana College. She’s currently completing her MSW at St. Ambrose University, and is interning at World Relief Quad Cities to gain experience in the field.

Refugees often rely on produce that is exclusive to their heritage and difficult to find in conventional U.S. grocery stores. Each month, we distribute Burmese and Congolese foods that are familiar and healthy – now, we’re officially adding Afghan foods to the mix. Here’s how one volunteer is making an impact.

Life After Graduation

A recent graduate of Iowa State University, Abbie Koberg has been enjoying the post-graduate life of going back to her alma-mater for football games, spending time with her close family and friends, and getting as much time spent outdoors as she can.

However, she can be seen most often engaging in her favorite kind of activity – volunteering.

Koberg, a recruiter and community network with HNI Corp, enjoys making a career out of engaging in new volunteer opportunities and establishing new relationships with clients and volunteers for the organization.

A New Career Opportunity

Two weeks before Abbie started her job at HNI, the organization had recently partnered with World Relief Quad Cities, and she saw a perfect opportunity to reach out and try to acquire more clients and volunteer relationships. She went to WR’s food pantry to help spread the word about HNI.

“My goal was to establish good relationships with the volunteers,” Koberg explained, “I saw this as a great opportunity to increase my clientele and to gain more volunteer opportunities.”

Something Unexpected

Koberg was struck by the diversity when volunteering at World Relief, and apart from accomplishing her goal of making connections with her spreading of posters at the event, she was inspired to participate in volunteering at the organization in the future.

“We knew we wanted to make a difference and help,” Koberg said, “so we recently donated 8 fifty pound bags of rice to World Relief and I have been volunteering at their food pantries ever since.”

Koberg finds her experience volunteering with World Relief to be rewarding and it inspires her to always do as much as she can to help out any way she can.

 “I’ve always been volunteering, it’s what I love doing. So it’s really motivating to me to give back to my community.”

Volunteers, we couldn’t do it without you. Follow the link below to learn how you can help feed families and make a tangible impact in your community.

Brady Johnshon is a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications. He’s currently interning in Communications with World Relief Quad Cities, and hopes to be part of something greater than himself.

A new Quad Cities scholarship fund hopes to mitigate some of the economic challenges faced by new Americans seeking higher education.

The fund, to be titled “Quad Cities Scholarship for Immigrants and Refugees,” will be managed by the Community Foundation in partnership with World Relief Quad Cities. It was inspired by Julie Eisenband and Chris Strunk’s experiences in working with talented refugee and immigrant students.

Bridging the Gap

Eisenband teaches at United Township High School in East Moline, one of the most diverse high schools in Illinois. It’s also home to the children of many World Relief clients.

But despite Rock Island and Scott County’s significant immigrant and refugee populations, new Americans are often a small percentage of area universities’ student bodies. Augustana College, where Strunk teaches, sees just a handful of refugee and immigrant students each year.

Refugees in the U.S. face financial barriers like understanding hiring processes, language barriers, needing new certifications and credentials, and discrimination.

Both educators hope the fund will be an opportunity for refugee and immigrant students to bridge the gap between high school and college.

“I have taught so many first and second generation immigrant students who are brilliant, brave people, but who face massive barriers to going to college,” said Eisenband, “Our hope is that this scholarship will provide one less thing these students have to worry about.”

World Relief Quad Cities will play a key role in encouraging new Americans to take advantage of the new scholarship opportunity.

“It made sense to partner with World Relief because it plays such a vital role providing services and advocating for immigrant and refugee families in our community,” said Strunk.

Refugee and immigrant students aren’t the only ones who benefit from the scholarship. Staff and other students alike are rewarded by a more diverse learning experience.

“I know how other students and professors benefit from having first and second generation immigrant students in our classes, just as we benefit from our location in a city like Rock Island that has welcomed so many newcomers in recent decades,” Strunk continued.

Overall, the scholarship fund’s goal is to help immigrant and refugee students successfully navigate their college experience and equip them with the skills to continue strengthening the community after receiving their degree.

Eligibility

All first or second generation refugee and students in Rock Island or Scott County will be eligible to apply for up to $4,000 of education expense coverage, which can be renewed for up to 6 years. And while Strunk hopes some recipients choose to attend Augustana, the scholarship can be used at any 2- or 4-year college.

First applications for the scholarship will be accepted in November 2021.

Written by Erica Parrigin

Hello everyone! My name is Brady Johnson and I am very excited to be interning at World Relief Quad Cities.

I’m currently a senior at Augustana College studying multimedia journalism and mass communications as well as a minor in communications, and I am originally from Loves Park, Illinois.

I was drawn to intern here at World Relief QC because I feel that the work I do for this organization would be a rewarding experience that I can not only get some crucial workplace skills out of, but life skills as well.

The prospect of helping people’s stories be heard and joining a cause greater than myself is an experience I’m looking forward to.

Previously I have done some digital media work with the independent country artist Steven Cade, which has been an experience that has made me wish to pursue working in mass communications.

I hope to gain more experience working in communications and working with mass media here at World Relief QC and to gain some meaningful connections with the people whom I will be working with.

In my free time, I enjoy playing music and staying active. I consider myself somewhat proficient in guitar, bass, drums, and I’m starting to learn harmonica. I’m also on the Augustana men’s cross country and track and field teams. In general, I love to play and keep up with sports, because it’s a way to enjoy the outdoors and stay healthy.

I can’t wait to begin my journey here at WRQC and see where this opportunity takes me!

Written by Brady Johnson

As I sat on the couch with Lisa*, she recalled a dream she had when she was a young girl.

At first, all she could see was darkness but as she flew, lights began to appear beneath her — mesmerizing her. There was so much happening in the city below as cars and people went about their lives.

She was filled with wonder, exclaiming, “what is this place?” as she knew it was far from her home village in Zambia. It was as if it was calling out to her, whispering in her ear that this is where she belonged.

She wondered if what she saw was Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. She had never seen it before but had heard from others in the village of its “beautiful buildings and beautiful cars.” She begged her mother to go to the city, hoping to see the place of her dreams, but her family could not afford the trip.

A Dream Come True

Years later, her dream came to her again as she flew into the United States as a refugee. Looking out the window of the airplane, she saw those same lights which called to her many years before.

It was as if God was sitting next to her asking “Do you remember this?” and she knew this was what she had dreamed of. “God is good,” she told me as she recalled the life she had before and how much it has changed since then.

Growing up in a poor village in Zambia was hard for Lisa. There were very few opportunities available to her in the community outside of working on a farm or doing domestic housework. She wanted more for herself and her family — a job, food on the table, and a house of her own.

When the chance arose to come to the United States in 2009, she seized her opportunity for what she hoped would be a good life in America.

Leaving behind her mother and siblings, she flew to the U.S. where she settled in New York for a time before relocating twice and ending up in the Quad Cities.

It was not easy at first, and she recalls having “suffered a little”– but “God always finds a way.”

She came into contact with World Relief Quad Cities. Through assisting with translating for another family in her community, Lisa met several of the World Relief team who were able to recognize unmet needs she had and help her to continue her journey.

Now, Lisa is a mother of 4 (one who I was lucky enough to meet when I spoke with her) who dreams of getting her U.S. citizenship, buying her own house, and helping bring her mother to live with her.

And hopefully, she will continue to live in the cities she once dreamed about as a young girl.

Written by Alyssa Twilbeck

*Name has been changed to protect Lisa’s identity.

Pascal Ramadhani identifies as Congolese, but he was born in a small village in Tanzania called Kigoma. With its vast mountains and miles of blue water, an image search of the scenery paints a striking contrast against the refugee camp he spent the first ten years of his life in.

He grew up under the watchful eyes of his community members. Everybody was “always outside,” more like family than neighbors. They helped care for Pascal and his four younger brothers when their mother and grandmother were busy.

But for young Pascal, the social pressure of constant observation sometimes had an opposite effect. He struggled to find a place where he was allowed to be himself.

His school’s rules were more like laws. And as the eldest sibling, he felt guilty that his mother had to pay for five school uniforms on her own.

“I felt like I couldn’t be free, couldn’t do anything,” he said, “it felt like nobody could help me out.”

Still, Pascal prefers to focus on the good that got him through hard times. From “day one,” he wanted to be a dancer. Dancing and adventuring with his friends were opportunities to leave the day behind and cherish the moments where he could truly be himself.

“It was a bit rough, or tough, but it was fun at the same time. When I was young, I remember my friends and I used to go hunting, and climb mountains… then we were free, you know?” Pascal recalled.

He never imagined he would live in the U.S. After transferring to a different camp, a plane that was supposed to go back to Congo changed its flight route. Then, his family saw their name posted on the resettlement board.

“We didn’t ever think we would come here, we never even talked about it. They always post on the board to let people know who will come, but you have to have a case, a reason,” he said, I believe in God, in Jesus Christ – if it wasn’t for Him I wouldn’t be here.’”

In 2010, they landed in Chicago in the middle of winter, with staff and volunteers from the World Relief DuPage office there to greet them. The snow-covered skyscrapers were like nothing he’d ever seen before. Even his new home was a lot to take in.

“The food was different, and in Africa when you want to get food or water, you have to go out. Here, everything is in the house,” Pascal said, “then, Freshman year, no English, it was tough. Imagine you go to Tanzania and don’t speak Swahili.”

He knew that the next few years would be filled with obstacles. But this time, Pascal didn’t feel helpless – he felt empowered by the chance to build his own support system.

He surrounded himself with people who spoke English and joined the cheer team because he liked “doing flips.” After graduating high school with plenty of new friends, Pascal was accepted into DuPage College. His family was his number one priority, and with enough space to flourish, they had grown closer than ever.

His mother’s health problems started during his second year of college. He paused his education to care for her and found opportunity in the Quad Cities

“My mom is the one who raised us. She’s the greatest. Sometimes, when I look at her, I feel women are powerful, because imagine raising five kids by yourself. She gave us everything that we ever could have dreamed of,” Pascal said.

The encouraging staff at World Relief DuPage inspired him to pursue a career in sociology. After a year at Blackhawk, he applied at World Relief Quad Cities. He “couldn’t believe it” when he got a call back. It was a “great moment.”

Pascal hopes to get married, start a family of his own, and go back to school to finish what he started. He became a U.S. Citizen in 2020, and hopes his story will help others like him.

“There’s a lot of people like me, so hopefully another person can hear my story and know that I’ve been there and that everything works out. That’s why I want to help all these newcomers, because it was tough. I want to give back.”

Dancing is no longer the only way for Pascal to be free. In giving back, he’s finally found his niche.

Written by Erica Parrigin

Hess grew up in one of Thailand’s seven refugee camps. It was crowded, hot – “like a slum.” Small bamboo houses with leaf roofing were packed in tight, numbered sections, each section containing up to 400. Thousands of people were enclosed by the wire fences that bordered the camp.

“The population was roughly 70,0000 or 80,000, give or take,” he said.

The camp’s inhabitants couldn’t afford to think in the long-term; all that mattered was getting through the next day. 15-year-old Hess was no exception. Living day-by-day felt hopeless, and he never thought about his career or what he would do as an adult.

Hess and his schoolmates found comfort in soccer. He loved to imagine himself as a soccer player making it big in the tournaments one day, but he was also grounded by his desire to go to school and “get good grades.” He had as much fun competing with his friends in the classroom as he did outdoors.  

Starting a new chapter in life often brings previous chapters to a close. Hess’ family applied to resettle in late 2007, and when they were selected in 2008, Hess realized he would have to leave his friends behind. The flight to the U.S. carried the hefty burden of homesickness.

When his family arrived, the culture and climate were unlike anything he had experienced before. Everyone around him spoke too quickly for him to understand, and it was stressful.

“I felt homesick. I had no friends. I’m like, I feel like an alien in the streets! And it was very cold, hard to adjust. The food, environment, culture – all a challenge,” he recalled.

But his family wasn’t alone. They had a support network of staff to schedule appointments, coordinate medical visits and school registration, and help lift the weight from their shoulders. Hess started to feel a little better, relieved by kindness and the opportunity to learn the language.

He re-enrolled in high school as a freshman, and his homesickness couldn’t hide his outgoing personality for long. Forming bonds became easier as time passed. And while they would never replace his love for his friends back home, his new friends helped restore his confidence. He began to knock on doors with the faith that they would open for him.

Now, as a part-time interpreter and full-time social worker at Karen Community in Rock Island, Hess meets clients with the same warm embrace that helped him feel accepted in his time of need. And he has “a lot of plans.”

“I hope to go back to my homeland and open up a business, to help educate children in my home country and influence them to see the world better,” Hess said.

The sense of loss that once sat like a stone on his chest became a seed. Once nourished by belonging, Hess grew to heights his teenage self would never have expected – and flourishes with every opportunity to give back.

Written by Erica Parrigin