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Mohammed at the Early Learning Child Care Center in Erie, PA.
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Original artwork by unaccompanied girls at Rinconcito del Sol
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Dear Friend,
Children are among those we think of most during this time of year. There is excitement in the air – and maybe snowflakes as well, depending on where you live. Hot chocolate, warm fires, and cold air – what child doesn’t like those?
But things are not always so easy for those who are vulnerable, especially children. Luckily for them – and thanks to you and other generous donors – the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) has provided essential social services to them for nearly 20 years.
For instance, our office in Erie, Pennsylvania has an Early Learning Child Care Center on-site where refugee children can learn English at their own pace. Children like Mohammed, who arrived as a refugee from Liberia in August 2021 with his younger brother, Oumar, his mother, and his uncle. Mohammed’s first language is Mandingo, but he’s excited to learn new words in English. “You can see when it is starting to click,” says Lewis Prest, the afterschool teacher at the Child Care Center. “Mohammed is starting to learn English very quickly now.” Mohammed has "Mr. Lewis" and USCRI to help. But he also has the support of his family, unlike many other migrant children.
USCRI’s Rinconcito del Sol in Florida is a shelter for unaccompanied migrant girls between the ages of 13-17. Rinconcito is a safe space for these girls – and for the time they spend there, it's a home. Our staff ensures the girls’ needs are met by providing them with medical and mental health services, nutritious meals, and safety. But they also get educational opportunities, recreational activities, and love. It’s a place where they can recover, but also where they can learn.
During this season of giving, you can help children like Mohammed in Erie and the girls in Florida by donating or becoming a sustaining member with USCRI.
This holiday season, please help our most vulnerable friends and neighbors by making a generous gift today. You can always consider making a monthly donation to help provide USCRI with the stable, ongoing support we need to help refugees and immigrants build new lives throughout the year. You can set up your monthly gift at www.refugees.org/donate.
However you choose to help, thank you.
Enjoy the chill of the weather and the warmth of love this holiday season.
All the best to you and your loved ones,
Kevin Sturtevant, CFRE
Vice President of Strategic Development
U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI)
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