Hudson groups, donors join in effort for refugee resettlement

Courtesy of Hudson Community Foundation
·2 min read
Non-profits, organizations, and individual donors in Hudson joined together to meet the needs of the hundreds of refugees from around the world coming to Northeast Ohio through the International Institute of Akron, including $50,000 for a passenger van. Pictured are representatives from Hudson Clocktower Rotary, First Congregational Church of Hudson, Garretts Mill Diner, Hudson Community Foundation, Hudson DEI Alliance, Hudson International Women's Club, Kiwanis, Rotary Club of Hudson, and Western Reserve Academy and individual donors.

Non-profits, organizations, and individual donors across the city of Hudson joined together to meet pressing needs of the hundreds of refugees from around the world coming to Northeast Ohio through the International Institute of Akron, including $50,000 for a passenger van.

“Last week, we reached a new record of displaced people worldwide, exceeding 100 million for the first time in history. IIA, with the help of our community, will always strive to aid people who must flee persecution and civil unrest to feel a sense of home and safety in Akron, said Madhu Sharma, IIA executive director. "Our work together starts before people even arrive here, as we mobilize to find housing and set up homes with necessities provided by Hudson and other neighbors and friends in the Akron area.

"And now, because of the Hudson community's outstanding efforts, we will welcome newly arriving refugees at their airport pick up with safe and comfortable transportation.”

Through a fund at the Hudson Community Foundation, the Hudson DEI Alliance, on behalf of the IIA, convened community partners to help maximize efforts as they provide immediate needs for families from Afghanistan after the recent troop withdraw, persecuted families from Iran, and in preparation for supporting new arrivals from conflict zones such as Ukraine, Congo and Burma.

In addition to ensuring all needed personal items were secured and funds for the van collected:

  • Hudson High School Service-Learning students and Western Reserve Academy students created welcome cards, videos for families and children in multiple languages, and ABC books. Students from HHS Service-Learning had the opportunity to hear from former refugees about their life experiences and participated in a community celebration in North Hill. The Hudson knitting club made hats.

  • Hudson Clocktower Rotary, First Congregational Church of Hudson, Garretts Mill Diner, HHS Service-Learning, Hudson Community Foundation (HCF), The Alliance, Hudson International Women's Club, Kiwanis, Rotary Club of Hudson, WRA and independent donors through the HCF collectively secured $50,000 toward the purchase of the greatest need, a 10–15-person passenger van.

A fund was created through the Hudson Community Foundation to purchase the passenger van to transport the new Ohio residents as employment is secured, to travel to needed job skills training, and to educational programs and appointments. Together the Hudson organizations and donors achieved the goal of $50,000.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson groups, individuals work to help refugees with pressing needs