St. John's Episcopal Church
Plymouth, Michigan
St. John's House For
New Americans
574 S. Sheldon Road
Plymouth, MI 48170-1565
An Open Heart for the World
Heart and hand connections,
Right here in our community
In the past year, as we have watched tragedy unfolding in the world, we have often felt helpless to make a difference. However, we have an opportunity to do something right now, right here in Plymouth.
St. John's Episcopal Church-Plymouth is partnering with Samaritas, other local congregations, community groups and businesses to renovate our former Youth House as a temporary residence for newly arrived refugees. Samaritas is the oldest and largest federal government appointed agency for refugee resettlement in southeast Michigan with 90 years of experience helping disadvantaged Michigan families thrive. With their guidance, St. John's and the Plymouth community can come together to provide a safe haven for new American families. With this kind of support, experience has shown that most refugees are able to live independently within 6 to 12 months.
STEP ONE
The first step in this effort is to raise funds for the renovation. The estimate is $120,000. As we reach out to various funding sources, we hope others will consider a direct donation. Some may even choose to sponsor a room: a bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom. There is also a significant amount of work needing to be completed that may not seem obvious from just viewing pictures.
There is demolition, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, tile work, flooring, and painting. Whether the donation is large or small, every dollar will make an impact.
STEP TWO
Once a family has arrived, many volunteers will be needed to help them adjust to living in America. Samaritas requires volunteers having personal contact with these families to complete a clearance check from the Michgian DHHS. Samaritas offers short, online training to help you understand your responsibilities when interacting with refugees. If you would like to know more about how to be a volunteer, email St. John's with New Americans volunteer in the subject line. stjohnshousenewamericans@gmail.com
DONATIONS
Donations can be made online at:
https://onrealm.org/StJohnsEpiscopa27913/give/stjohnshouse
Or contact us at:
734-453-0190
Refugee: a person forced to leave home because of persecution, war, or violence.
Immigrant: a person who moves for personal reasons to another country to take up permanent residence.