250+ Afghan Refugee Families Coming to MN - You Can Help!

The organization ALIGHT (formerly American Refugee Committee) is leading the effort to set up homes for 250+ Afghan refugee families coming to MN!

ALIGHT is working with the State of Minnesota and other partners to make this happen from January 17 through the end of February. Originally, State officials projected ALIGHT would have 6 months to set up homes and a few days ago this timeline was dramatically reduced because Afghan families are being moved out of the military bases they are currently housed in across the US, as the federal government wants all these families to be resettled in homes by the end of February.

First UCC is working to organize a coordinated congregational effort, but in the meantime individuals and organizations can help by doing the following:

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Take Up A Collection. What’s needed most are financial contributions. Donations of any dollar amount can make a cozy bed, stock the pantry & fridge, and so much more. Do you have a group that wants to make a bigger impact? Become a sponsor and crowdfund with a goal of $4k to fully furnish a home for a family! Please click here: https://give.wearealight.org/campaign/welcoming-afghan-families-home/c381323

2. Host a Donation Drive. We need all kinds of housewares. Contact SoniaA@wearealight.org to find out what’s needed and for tips coordinating your drive.

3. Shop the Wish List. You can purchase items directly from the list and have them sent to our warehouse. Please click here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/AF90YNV1ZAAB/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

4. Organize for Service. This effort is going to need a lot of volunteer support. Get a team together from your community. Contact action@wearealight.org to learn more.

Also, if you have any connections to furniture companies in MN that would align to this effort or other incredible groups of people in Minnesota who may want to contribute please spread the word or let the ALIGHT coordinator know: Tharangi Cumaranatunge | Global Connector | 612.695.8594

Please visit the following websites to learn more about ALIGHT and the effort to help welcome Afghan families home to Minnesota:

https://wearealight.org/

https://wearealight.org/welcoming-afghan-families-home/

CAC Food Shelf Volunteers Needed

November 23, 2021

The relatively new, CAC annex food shelf at the Northfield Community Education Center (the old Greenvale School) 700 Lincoln Parkway has been short volunteers. Please consider volunteering by exploring the opportunities listed at the link: https://cac-northfield.ivolunteer.com/foodshelf_team. In the dropdown menu under "Selection" choose "NCEC Food Shelf" and you can sign up for any days, times, and opportunity that works for you. Thank you!

Hostile Terrain 94 (past event)

Hostile Terrain is a participatory project sponsored and organized by The Undocumented Migration Project (UMP), a non-profit research-art-education-media collective, directed by anthropologist Jason De Leon. The exhibition is composed of ~3,200 toe tags that represent migrants who have died trying to cross the Sonoran Desert of Arizona between the mid 1990s and 2019.

St. Olaf College challenges community members to examine faith and values, to be inclusive and to a globally engaged community. Hostile Terrain 94 affords all of us the opportunity to take these goals and put them into practice. The project pulls together members of the community from different disciplines, departments and backgrounds, all passionate about raising awareness, participating in advocacy for migrant communities and creating space for the commemoration of those that have lost their lives and their families.

To view examples of the installation visit: https://www.undocumentedmigrationproject.org/hostileterrain94/

On Tuesday, July 21st, a virtual toe tag event will be held online from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Register by visiting: https://stolaf.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqcequqzsoGd06qOmzp6hN46eLJFeEGGHj

First UCC member Matt Rohn attended a previous virtual HT94 event through St. Olaf. If you have additional questions please feel free to contact Matt at: rohn@stolaf.edu