Many of you have met one of the refugee families who has become very special to our group. They arrived in St Louis in April and recently moved into a small house on Chippewa near Morgan Ford. 

The dad is disabled, having sustained a debilitating spinal injury in an accident while in a refugee camp in Jordan. The mom hopes to begin working part-time in a day care center very soon. They have 4 children, ages 7 to 12 months. 

Through the kindness of several organizations and individuals, the family is in a stable situation. Their rent is paid through the end of January, they are receiving assistance with utilities and food, and the mom is very eager to work and provide for her family. The dad is receiving care at BJC in the pain management program. Both mom and dad are receiving one-on-one tutoring in English. The older children (ages 6, 7, and 8) attend Nahed Chapman School and are adjusting pretty well.

Recently the dad has expressed concern about how his family will survive when the weather turns colder. He drove a truck and taxis in Syria and is hopeful he can eventually drive here in the US. He has a learners permit. They would like to find a vehicle large enough to accommodate their family of six.

A small group of us have banded together to see if we can help raise funds for a used van. We’ve already begun receiving monetary donations from those who know the family or hear their story.

So – with that said, Jane Mohit is coordinating a yard sale with 100% of the proceeds going toward that goal. The sale will be held on Saturday, September 30 from 8am til 2pm, in University City at 7566 Cornell.

If you are interested, here are some ways to get involved. You could:

* donate items for the sale
* spread the word to your friends & family
* sort, organize & price donations
* help set-up the sale on Friday Sept 29
* create & post signs around U City, especially along Delmar, Hanley & other main roads
* lend a hand the day of the sale – Sat Sept 30
* coordinate getting anything that doesn’t sell to a charity such as House of Goods, Oasis, etc.

If you have any questions or would like to make arrangements to drop off items for the sale, please contact Jane at [email protected]