Hearts and Homes for Refugees participates in national Welcoming Week
Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Hearts and Homes for Refugees.
September 23 – 12pm-2pm
HHR is coordinating “Refugee Sunday: Community Lunch and Day of Action,” hosted by St. John’s Lutheran Church in Mamaroneck. Neighbors for Refugees and Students for Refugees are also participating.
The event includes lunch, a special presentation about refugees, asylees and SIVs with what’s happening in Westchester, and a time for action. (Postcards! Petitions! A Giving Tree! How to Sign Up!) Special guests include County Executive George Latimer and Mamaroneck Village Mayor Tom Murphy. This event is free and open to the public. To register, please sign up through this link.
With the invaluable support of Ruth Gyure of Neighbors for Refugees, HHR also created a postcard writing campaign that included the printing and preparation of 2,000 postcards and a toolkit with guidelines and messages. Volunteers staffed postcard tables at four Westchester County Heritage Festivals over the summer, and postcards and the toolkit have been shared with several WRI members for events throughout Welcoming Week and into the fall. In addition, HHR is organizing an additional post-Welcoming Week postcard drive in Pelham in November.
Postcards are available to other groups to hold their own postcarding events throughout the fall. Contact: [email protected] to obtain postcards.
American Muslim Women’s Association
September 22 – 10:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Welcome Fall, Welcome All: AMWA, in partnership with Islamic School Upper Westchester, will host a fun-filled afternoon to learn and get know our neighbors in honor or welcoming week. Location: Presbyterian Church of Mt. Kisco, 605 Millwood Rd. Contact: Fozia Khan, [email protected]
Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains
September 15 – 1pm to 2pm
CUUC is hosting “Resettlement from Both Sides,” a cooking demonstration, luncheon and public forum, with the participation of Neighbors for Refugees, and the two resettled Afghan SIV families they support. While the luncheon is a private event, the discussion (at 1 pm) is open to the public. To attend, send an email to Jane Dixon at [email protected].
Community Church of the Pelhams
September 16 – 10am-11am
CCP has declared September 16th “Welcome Sunday.” They will lift up the values of Welcoming America, explain how they got connected to the critical issue of refugee resettlement, and ask people to wear a button and take a postcard to send to a congressional official. All are welcome! For more information please contact: Pastor Noel Vanek (917) 951-1581.
Community Synagogue of Rye
The Community Synagogue of Rye is one of the congregations supporting a refugee family, and they will be handing out “I am a Welcomer” buttons at their Yom Kippur Service.
Ethical Culture Society of Westchester
September 9 – 10:30am
A fellowship affiliated with the Interfaith Council for New Americans-Westchester, the ECS will host a postcard drive at their opening gathering. The ECS is located at 7 Saxon Wood Rd, White Plains. All are welcome! For more information please contact: [email protected].
September 15 – 1pm to 2pm
September 23 – 12pm-2pm
NFR is supporting both “Resettlement from Both Sides” (see CUUC) and “Refugee Sunday” (see HHR) with volunteers, speakers and outreach. In addition, they have organized an additional post-Welcoming Week postcard drive in Larchmont on September 28, 11am-4pm at The Voracious Reader.
Northern Westchester Interfaith Coalition for Refugee Resettlement
September 18 – 9am-12pm
NWICRR has organized a postcard drive at The Black Cow Coffee Co., 4 Old Post Rd S, Croton-On-Hudson. All are welcome! For more information, please contact [email protected].
In addition, NWICRR will host a picnic with the members of their coalition and the resettled Venezuelan family for which they have been providing assistance with language skills and career development.
In recognition of Welcoming Week, and as participating congregations in the refugee resettlement group, PART One, and B’nai Yisrael and Pleasantville Community Synagogue will be holding postcard drives during the High Holy Days. For more information, please contact: (B’nai Yisrael) [email protected] or (Pleasantville Community Synagogue) [email protected].
Rivertowns for Refugees
September 15 and 22 – 8:30am-1:30pm
R4R has organized two postcard drives at the Hastings Farmers Market. All are welcome!
Hastings Public Library Parking Lot, 7 Maple Ave., Hastings-on-Hudson
Sarah Lawrence College
Students at Sarah Lawrence College will participate in Welcoming Week through a postcard drive in select classes.
Sisters of the Divine Compassion (RDC)
September 11 and 15
The Sisters of the Divine Compassion have organized two postcard drives among their members and friends.
St John’s Episcopal Church, Pleasantville
September 16 and 23 9:30am
St. John’s will be handing out “I am a Welcomer” buttons at both Sunday services during Welcoming Week.
September 23, 12pm-2pm
SFR will host an information table at “Refugee Sunday” (see HHR).
Proclamations
The following officials have committed to issue a proclamation during Welcoming Week in support of all residents, whether refugee, immigrant or native-born.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer
Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner
White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach
In addition, New Rochelle Mayor Noah Bramson was one of hundreds of elected officials to sign a bipartisan letter in August 2018 calling for the resettlement of 75,000 refugees during the coming year.
