Help Syrian refugee mom and kids
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Hi, please meet Huda Hidar and her family! They are refugees who fled horrors from the war in Syria and arrived in Chicago last summer, hoping to rebuild their lives.
Huda was badly injured when a bomb destroyed her home in suburban Damascus. While recovering from that attack, Huda learned that her husband and 18-year-old son were killed in a chemical bomb attack.
Here is a Chicago Tribune video, in which Huda tells her story.
Huda, 45, now lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Evanston with her four sons and one daughter. Her children all attend public school in Evanston, and they are a wonderful family. (We also learned at a recent birthday party that they are great dancers, especially the oldest son, Muhammed, who turned 19 in January.) The other children are Ahmed, 17, Yara, 14, Abdulrahman, 12, and Khaled, 8.
Whenever we visit the family, they offer warm greetings and lovely hospitality, which often includes fresh coffee and home-made treats.
Like other refugee families, Huda initially received a sum of public and private money to help her get settled. But much of it has run out, and it's been a struggle to pay the monthly rent. She just got hired at a minimum-wage job, but even with that, we estimate she needs about $500 a month to help cover gaps in rent, utilities and other expenses. She currently has a bank account, but no money in it.
Any money we raise for rent will be paid directly to the non-profit Syrian Community Network (SCN) which works with the landlords to pay the rent gap on the refugees' behalf. The money will go directly to help pay the family's rent.
Thank you so much for any donation you can offer. Huda and her family are trying their best to be self-sufficient, and they would deeply appreciate support to help make their lives more stable.
Additional information:
1. Who am I? My name is Jonathan Yenkin. My wife, Susan, and I, along with a few friends, signed up as volunteers with Syrian Community Network, which connected us with Huda and her family.
2. Where am I from? My wife and I live in Wilmette, Ill., next door to the Evanston.
3. What's our relationship with Huda's family? Through the SCN, we met the family last fall. We visit them on weekends, help take Huda to English classes and also help take her to a laundromat. We've also helped them start to enjoy living in Chicago, visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo and taking them bowling!
4. How will the money be spent? As noted above, the money will go directly to their rent. If there is money left over, down the road, we'll explore helping the family buy a used car. Huda has a learner's permit and will need to get a license.
Huda was badly injured when a bomb destroyed her home in suburban Damascus. While recovering from that attack, Huda learned that her husband and 18-year-old son were killed in a chemical bomb attack.
Here is a Chicago Tribune video, in which Huda tells her story.
Huda, 45, now lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Evanston with her four sons and one daughter. Her children all attend public school in Evanston, and they are a wonderful family. (We also learned at a recent birthday party that they are great dancers, especially the oldest son, Muhammed, who turned 19 in January.) The other children are Ahmed, 17, Yara, 14, Abdulrahman, 12, and Khaled, 8.
Whenever we visit the family, they offer warm greetings and lovely hospitality, which often includes fresh coffee and home-made treats.
Like other refugee families, Huda initially received a sum of public and private money to help her get settled. But much of it has run out, and it's been a struggle to pay the monthly rent. She just got hired at a minimum-wage job, but even with that, we estimate she needs about $500 a month to help cover gaps in rent, utilities and other expenses. She currently has a bank account, but no money in it.
Any money we raise for rent will be paid directly to the non-profit Syrian Community Network (SCN) which works with the landlords to pay the rent gap on the refugees' behalf. The money will go directly to help pay the family's rent.
Thank you so much for any donation you can offer. Huda and her family are trying their best to be self-sufficient, and they would deeply appreciate support to help make their lives more stable.
Additional information:
1. Who am I? My name is Jonathan Yenkin. My wife, Susan, and I, along with a few friends, signed up as volunteers with Syrian Community Network, which connected us with Huda and her family.
2. Where am I from? My wife and I live in Wilmette, Ill., next door to the Evanston.
3. What's our relationship with Huda's family? Through the SCN, we met the family last fall. We visit them on weekends, help take Huda to English classes and also help take her to a laundromat. We've also helped them start to enjoy living in Chicago, visiting the Lincoln Park Zoo and taking them bowling!
4. How will the money be spent? As noted above, the money will go directly to their rent. If there is money left over, down the road, we'll explore helping the family buy a used car. Huda has a learner's permit and will need to get a license.
Organizer
Jonathan Yenkin
Organizer
Wilmette, IL