Our commitment to working with displaced communities in the Twin Cities has been a new way for people familiar with our work abroad to join us - right here at home. Teresa is an incredible friend and supporter - she's traveled with us to East AFrica and is a valued part of our family. So when she learned of a way to jump right in and do the doable here at home, helping welcome newly refugee refugee families, we weren't surprised that she got on board right away! For the very first home we worked on, Teresa made sure everything needed for the kitchen was provided and there. When she found out about the second home we were supporting, she reached out to her network and filled up a car with items and delivered them to the home and cleaned and set it up. She continued that way for a few more homes, too! She scrubbed out cupboards and drawers, making sure that the kitchens were spotless before putting items away. After the first house set-up, she showed up with liners when she … [Read more...] about Jill of All Trades

Outfitting an apartment with everything a family will need is expensive. There are the bare necessities — rugs, garbage cans, and shower curtains. But it’s things like books, toys, or a colorful table cloth that really make a house a home. Looking for a little extra help, we reached out to our local communities on NextDoor, and boy did they deliver. In the two months that we have been doing resettlement homes, we have received donations from over 100 people that have seen the post, people who have stepped up to do the doable. It has unleashed abundance in ways we couldn’t expect. Neighbors have dropped off $100 Target gift cards, toys, furniture, other home items and so much more. One women’s aunt passed away, and after seeing our post she brought in everything that was in nice condition. Another women reached out to her neighbors to do a collection of items that she brought in. Another teacher who bought items off the Amazon wish list, came in to help organize donations and … [Read more...] about Next Door

As anyone who has moved a lot of furniture knows, it can be a lot of heavy lifting. And with all these home move-ins, we were starting to feel like we were moving friend after friend into a new place and getting a little worn out. We needed someone who could help take some of the—very literal—weight off of our back, and this is where one of our volunteers, Derek, stepped in. When our muscles were starting to fatigue, Derek was able to step in and help us with a lot of the heavy lifting. Derek came many times to help, whether that was organizing and packing boxes at our office or carrying couches and beds into the new apartments. In one instance, a family was moving to a different unit in the same building and none of our staff were able to go. Derek went without us, making the time to make a difference in this family’s life. "John Coltrane said, 'I want to be a force of real good' - a credo that I try to subscribe to in my life," said Derek. "Alight has allowed me an … [Read more...] about Take a Weight Off

Refugee families in the U.S. face a lot of new challenges. For the adults, it's settling into their new home and figuring out ways to support their family. But for kids, it's all about learning the ropes of their new school - and making all new friends. When we partnered up with the International Institute of Minnesota to help welcome new refugee families to the Twin Cities, one of the things we prioritized was coming up with ways to help kids acclimate and prepare them for the things they'll need when the school year starts, but also that will help them connect with other kids in the neighborhood. So we got to work...new backpacks filled with notebooks, pencils, markers, and more. We found a bike that would be the right size for each kid, so that they can explore their new neighborhood and meet new friends nearby. We rounded up some soccer balls, because soccer is such a beloved sport for kids everywhere. Inside, we put together a plentiful collection of puzzles, books, … [Read more...] about A Fresh Start

For Lynn, doing the doable is her bread and butter. She's the Accounts Payable & Payroll Accountant at the Alight Minneapolis office, but when she's not making sure everyone gets their pay check, she's going the extra mile to make refugees families feel at home in her home town. We put out a call to staff and volunteers to help welcome refugee families to the Twin Cities. And that very same day Lynn was on the case. She set about shopping, filling her car with items for the next family to arrive. Next she roped her family in, making it a family activity to scour Facebook marketplace to find used options, and went shopping to find new ones. They picked up a set of bunk beds, two full sized beds, a microwave, a kitchen table and chairs, a coffee table, backpacks, kids' supplies, insulated lunch boxes, and cleaning supplies. But Lynn didn't stop there...but she offered to let us use her flatbed trailer to move items, and came to help move the items inside the family's new … [Read more...] about Everyday People, Extraordinary Kindness

There's a reason your mom always told you to hand write your thank you notes. There's something warm and fuzzy about opening up a message written by a friend or loved one, something personal about a letter just for you. Here in Minneapolis, we've been partnering with the International Institute of Minnesota to help welcome newly arrived refugees families to the Twin Cities. And one of the very best ways we could think of showering those families with love and support is with messages of welcome - waiting for them when they get home. When resettling the last group of incoming families, we recruited volunteers to help. Together we created a visual welcome for each family in their new home, made up of messages and written with care. Each note is handwritten and in the family's native language, adding a note of something familiar in a new place. So far we've written notes in French, Kiswahili, Thai, and English! A note of welcome adds a human touch to a process that can … [Read more...] about Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Abbe and her seven year old daughter, Lucia, saw a message from us about needing help resettling a family in Minneapolis. Moved and wanting to lend a hand, Abbe took a day off from her job as a pediatrician - and she and Lucia came down to our Alight offices in Minneapolis to learn more. We were so excited to see them, and were floored when we realized their incredible willingness to jump right in. So we put our heads together and came up with a plan... We needed some things at Costco that could be purchased in bulk, and that could be placed in the new family's home before they arrived. So Abbe and Lucia got right to it - and off they went with shopping list in hand. Lucia had brought her pad of paper and pen along, and she diligently recorded each item that was needed, taking her time to put a box next to each one to check off when they got to the store. So organized! Later that day, they delivered a car load of supplies to the office. Everything from toilet paper, … [Read more...] about Filled with Generosity

It's been 30 years since Aanne and her family, Oromo refugees from Ethiopia, were resettled in the U.S. They never forgot the experience - or their gratitude toward the people who welcomed them in those first few days. Today, more Oromo families are coming to the Twin Cities. And Aanne and her mom wanted to welcome them in the same way they had been welcomed - warmly and with generosity. They decided to get together and cook homemade, traditional meals for a newly arriving family. All of the meals were ready and waiting for them, with labels showing what each item was. Along with fresh fruit, veggies, and injera bread, every meal was halal - made by Oromo women for an Oromo family! The pair also brought in a traditional table cloth to really make the kitchen feel familiar, a signal that although they've come a long way, they're really coming home. … [Read more...] about Coming Home

A few days ago, we started on our journey to become Alight. And what better way to celebrate, to come together and start anew, than by giving to others? And especially to the community of organizations that call Minnesota home, too. Most of our programs support people where they are - before someone is resettled to another country. But the International Institute of Minnesota comes in on the other side of the coin. They support refugee families (less than 1%) who are resettled in another country, and who are now building their new life in Minnesota. The folks at IIM are SO busy, all the time. Everybody knows the feeling of being so overwhelmed that even the seemingly simple things can feel impossible. So today we're helping them make a small change that will just feel so much better when it's done - organizing their inventory! IIM gets lots of donations from people all over the state, wanting to lend a hand in helping families get settled in their new homes. But many of … [Read more...] about Starting with Giving

As we embark on our journey to become Alight, we're starting with giving - giving to to the community where we call home, giving to like-minded people who are doing a lot with a little. Today and tomorrow, we're working with the incredible International Institute of Minnesota, which is celebrating 100 years of welcoming new Americans! The Institute works with single adults, families, and unaccompanied minors – teenagers or kids who have arrived in Minnesota alone, trying to navigate an entirely unfamiliar place. They teach practical things that we might overlook - like how to walk on ice, which is especially handy during Minnesota's winters! They're also the only organization in Minnesota that helps victims of trafficking who are non-US citizens. Sierra is a Case Manager for IIM's Anti-Human Trafficking program. “People are strong, some of the strongest people in the planet," she said. "The resilience that you see is amazing. People start by having no confidence in … [Read more...] about Welcome Home