A Circle of Welcome
Congolese family finds home in Clintonville through supportive neighbors
It took very little time for Mary Collins to realize what a tight-knit and supportive community Clintonville is when she moved to the area in 2017. A native of California, she re-located to be near her son and his family. She quickly met many of her neighbors and enjoyed garden chats and dogwalking with them.
In 2021, a New York Times piece on “sponsor circles” caught Mary’s attention. She wondered if there would be a way to welcome a refugee family from across the world into the same type of nurturing community she’d found outside her own front door. If there was indeed a way to do that, she knew it couldn’t be done alone. So, she drafted an email and sent it to everyone she knew in her neighborhood, essentially asking, “Would you be willing to join me in sponsoring a refugee family?” Mary’s across-the-street neighbors Dan and Carrie Bandman were among the recipients of Mary’s wide-cast email inquiry. After discussing it as a family, they responded with a hearty, “Yes!” Several of their mutual neighbors responded in kind–some with earnest curiosity and others with committed enthusiasm.
Early in 2022, Mary and the Bandmans began hosting monthly meetings for anyone who had expressed interest in refugee sponsorship. Together they discussed what it might involve and what each person might be able to contribute. One thing was clear: independently sponsoring a refugee family is a significant commitment which requires both time and money. After a few months of these meetings, Mary and Carrie connected with Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS). Through talking with CRIS Welcome Teams Coordinator Teresa Gibson, it became clear that the group could accomplish their goal of refugee sponsorship as a CRIS Welcome Team and receive crucial support from the CRIS staff.
The group chose the name “Caring Clintonville” and continued their planning and preparation alongside CRIS staff. CRIS Welcome Teams are encouraged to raise enough money to purchase a complete “Welcome Kit” (household items essential for daily living) and to offer their sponsored family rental assistance in their first months in the U.S. Caring Clintonville began planning a community yard sale to raise these funds, asking their immediate community for item donations to sell. Carrie left bins out of her home, and neighbors started bringing garage sale item donations in droves. The group leaders recall, “It was heartwarming to realize how many people wanted to help.”
One particular neighbor offered to sell some of her homegrown plants as part of the community sale, others brought day-off-sale donations as they realized how the proceeds would be used. It was a true community effort that resulted in nearly $4000 of funds raised for Caring Clintonville’s refugee sponsorship. The group received support from the Clintonville Resource Center to manage the funds for them.
After months of preparation and planning, Caring Clintonville got a call on September 1, 2022–a family of five from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with no U.S. tie (local family or friends) would be arriving in Columbus on September 7–would your group be willing to sponsor them?
Near midnight one week later, Caring Clintonville gathered at the John Glenn Columbus International Airport where they greeted and met Kachuva, Agape, and their three young sons. In the weeks following their arrival, the team partnered with CRIS staff to find permanent housing for their new friends. Their goal was to find a home in the Clintonville area, and they were able to secure a rental property on Indianola. Caring Clintonville helped to prepare the new home, moving furniture, providing household goods, stocking the kitchen and more. After 10 years of living in a refugee camp, each facet of their new home was a blessing beyond words.
Since that time, a deep connection beyond what any of them could have imagined has been forged in countless moments, both big and small. Visiting and talking through local school options so that Kachuva and Agape can make an informed decision about what’s best for their boys. Taking Kachuva to his first job in the U.S. English conversation practice at home. Transportation to medical and social service appointments. Sorting out bussing issues for the boys’ school. Helping Kachuva prepare for his driver’s exam. Signing the boys up for piano lessons. Backyard cookouts. Seasonal outings. And much more.
Groups who serve as Welcome Teams through CRIS are asked to walk alongside their refugee family for the first six months of their new lives in the United States; the Caring Clintonville group decided that they wanted to continue supporting Kachuva and Agape beyond that. Mary explains, “We want this family to not just survive in the U.S. but to thrive.” Carrie adds, “Knowing this family brings so much joy to us. The love that we have for each other is pure.”
If you would like more information about CRIS Welcome Teams, contact Teresa Gibson at tgibson@cris-ohio.org or visit crisohio.org/welcome-teams.