Making connections for our newest neighbors!

The exciting thing about connecting newcomers to the people, the services, and the resources they need is that you never know where it will lead.

I knocked on Hameeda's door for a bus orientation in 2015, only a few days after her arrival in the United States. We got to know each other on that long bus ride. I learned that she had worked for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan and had served as an interpreter for her community.

Over the years, my relationship with Hameeda has resulted in a series of connections that altered the path of Hameeda's life and contributed to the growth of ReEstablish Richmond:

• ReEstablish Richmond connected Hameeda to public transit so she could get to the grocery store and doctor's appointments.
• Hameeda connected ReEstablish Richmond to one of the first locations for our learner's permit study course (her home!) and a long list of interested students.
• ReEstablish Richmond connected Hameeda to a job as an interpreter which meant that she could earn income while her kids were still at home.
• Hameeda connected her neighbors to ReEstablish Richmond's first Health + Wellness group.
• ReEstablish Richmond connected Hameeda to a scholarship that allowed her to get behind the wheel driving lessons.
• Hameeda connected her community to English, parenting, and financial literacy classes by interpreting for the Health + Wellness program.
• ReEstablish Richmond connected Hameeda with a volunteer mentor, Beth Monroe. Beth helped Hameeda with her classes at J. Sargent Reynolds and connected Hameeda to Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens where a community garden was built for the Afghan community.
• Hameeda connected a group of Afghan women to the community garden at Lewis Ginter where they are now able to grow their own food.
• ReEstablish Richmond connected Beth Monroe with the resources she needed to help Hameeda study for and pass the Citizenship test.
• Hameeda's interpretation for our learner's permit study course connected over 300 Afghan men and women to the information they needed to become safe drivers in Virginia.
• ReEstablish Richmond connected Hameeda with a storytelling training through VPM so that she could participate in ReEstablish Richmond's Refugee Voices and Ambassadors program.
• Hameeda has connected to hundreds of Richmonders on a personal level by sharing her story with students, agencies, and faith communities.

When I knocked on Hameeda's door that morning in 2015, I had no idea that one bus orientation would lead to all of these life-giving connections, each one creating new possibilities for both our newest neighbors and long-term residents as well. Your donation will enable ReEstablish Richmond to continue making connections and creating possibilities in our community.

In connection together,

Kate Ayers

Executive Director

** To learn more about connections like these, visit our blog! **