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Dear Friends of Saint Clement,
Over two years ago, we came together with Catholic Charities to support the relocation of two families from Afghanistan to Chicago. Witnessing the impact of this collaboration, our dream has been to expand our partnership and provide permanent housing for more families, especially given the migrant crisis in Chicago. In light of this, we are excited to announce that we are partnering with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago to reopen the Madonna House for the upcoming winter and spring seasons.
Our mission is to ensure that families find safety and warmth during the harsh winter months in Chicago. The Madonna House will house 9-10 asylum-seeking families (women + children) who have been victims of domestic violence or abuse. This transitional shelter will aid in the resettlement and recovery of these migrant women and children emerging from such violence. We are inviting Saint Clement members to partner with us in creating a supportive community for these families.
In our partnership, Catholic Charities will handle the logistical and legal aspects of housing, while we, as a community, will rally together to fundraise a portion of the costs and establish personal connections with the families. This will involve preparing the house for a warm welcome at the start. Our ongoing partnership will involve weekly dinner assistance as well as supporting their self-sufficiency progress through accompaniment activities (i.e., ESL tutoring, job prep, childcare activities, etc).
Journeying to a foreign place and adjusting to a different culture are very difficult things to do. Survivors of domestic abuse and violence are particularly vulnerable and require holistic and dignified care in a safe environment to recover and rebuild their lives. As Catholic disciples of Christ, we are ever called to “make Christ known to others, especially by the testimony of a life resplendent in faith, hope and charity,” (para 31, Lumen Gentium).
In early 2024, we will announce how you can further partner with us -- through our Lenten Almsgiving, fundraising, and more specific volunteer opportunities. At present there are more immediate needs. We are looking for donations and in-person volunteers to help prepare the space for welcoming families. You can learn more and sign-up to help via the forms below:
- If you are interested in donating gently used clothing or furniture items, please see this form. If you are interested in purchasing new items via our registry, please click here. These items are greatly needed to help us prepare the house for the families' arrival.
- If you are interested in volunteering to help us set up the house or commit to helping the families on an ongoing basis please see this form. We will follow up with you to complete VIRTUS and Catholic Charities training that is needed.
- Lastly, we are looking for 2-3 project managers to help with the development of our workstream. If you are interested in volunteering to help with this specifically, please email Martina (at mricca@clement.org) or Christina (at coropeza@clement.org).
I thank you in advance for your support of this partnership. The Holy Spirit continues to bless our community with generous hearts of service to others in need.
In peace,
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