by Katie Patrick
Last week, I introduced the four initiatives that we at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska are fundraising for in lieu of Give to Lincoln, including the Lincoln Community Garden, the Lincoln Food Market, two recently purchased maternity and refugee transition homes, and our sustainability project, which includes launching our Gift & Thrift Online Shop.
Two of the most vulnerable groups we care for – expectant mothers and newly arrived refugees – deserve safe harbor, which is why the transition homes are so important. We found these gems last summer and fall when the housing market in Lincoln began to cool off. The first home is located a few blocks from Sacred Heart Parish and will be dedicated to newly arrived refugee families.
Built in 1905, this historic home with more than 5,550 square feet came with a brand-new foundation. I myself have only been a homeowner for a few years, but I know how important a good foundation is! We are working with Big Red Construction to turn this single-dwelling unit into a duplex so that we can accommodate more than one family at a time. The property is fenced in; has a spacious, unattached garage; kids’ playing fort; a gazebo; a front porch; and it sits on a corner lot with a large street lamp.
Safety, security, warmth, and space: this could not have been possible without our generous donors. Having a place like this – even if it’s temporary – for our refugee families to settle into when they first arrive is a huge blessing.
In fact, it reminds me of the day that I welcomed two young refugee girls from Somalia at the Lincoln Airport in 2013. They were 6 and 8 years old and had been living with their grandmother in a refugee camp in Kenya. When the family fled fighting in Somalia, they were separated from their mom, who ended up at a different refugee camp with several of her other children and were all then resettled in Grand Island, Nebraska.
The mom spent years trying to locate and apply for her daughters to join her. She also remarried after she arrived in Nebraska and had several more children. Home visits with that family were always a little chaotic, but it’s the family life that I’m used to and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Anyway, when I met the mom at the airport and welcomed the two little girls, you could tell how exhausted, overwhelmed and scared they were. Wrapped in traditional clothing that hadn’t been washed in quite some time due to a drought at the refugee camp, they were petite, with gaunt faces, large brown eyes, and in desperate need of medical attention.
Adults, when they arrive, can mask and manage their emotions, and even health concerns much better than kids can. Having a welcoming, furnished home with a warm, culturally-appropriate meal waiting for them makes a world of difference. It’s the first, important step of helping new families rebuild.
Similarly, when moms of any age, without a supportive network of family and friends, face an unexpected pregnancy, having a safe and secure home to welcome their baby is extremely important. It helps remove a lot of the anxiety that many expectant mothers in need go through.
The gem of a home that we purchased is located just a few minutes’ drive from our downtown offices, which means that it’s close to the bus lines and within walking distance to schools and grocery stores. Once again, it has a fairly new foundation that was poured in 2011. The interior was stripped to the studs and subfloor. Everything in the home is new except for roughly 20% of the original framing and subfloor, which includes 10-foot basement ceilings. Big Red Construction will start work on the home this summer. It will be finished in a design that was requested by our St. Gianna Program staff after having visited two Catholic maternity homes in Omaha.
We’re eager to partner with parishes and groups across the city, and state, to make this house a home. Will you join us? To make a donation toward our maternity and refugee home visit www.csshope.org/donate and make your tax-deductible gift today! Thank you and may God bless you!
