refugee aid

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News and social media feeds are filled with articles about refugees. It's hard to separate the truth from farce. The truth: refugees need help. I would hate it if others assumed that I am a bad person because I come from a country where there are bad people.

"Imagine leaving behind your home and all of your belongings to seek safety and shelter for you and your surviving loved ones. Imagine running from somewhere to nowhere. Imagine surviving shootings, bombings, torture, and starvation for months or years. Millions of refugees do this every year. Less than half of one percent of refugees are granted refugee status which allows them an opportunity to begin a new life."

There are many ways we can help. You can help financially or just with your time. There are many who would like to help, but don't know where to start. Two resources you can look into are the app Serve Refugees and the website I Was a Stranger. Both resources will give you information on what refugees have been going through and what is happening with them now. They will also give suggestions on how you can help.

Serve Refugees is an app that gives you information on how to serve or employ refugees. The service opportunities range from educating yourself, serving refugees, or giving to them. Some opportunities only take fifteen minutes of your time. I love how this app is set up. If you want, you can even earn points to get entered to win prizes. Here are some of the ways you can make a difference using the Serve Refugees app:

1. Watch informative videos
2. Intern with Utah Refugee Connection
3. Attend a CCS family mentor meeting
4. Tutor refugee children
5. Sponsor or Volunteer with a Burmese Refugee Scout Troop
6. Teach basic sewing skills to refugees
7. Order items off of an Amazon registry list for refugees
8. Create bathroom or cleaning kits
9. Donate new bedding, car seats, washers and dryers, clothing, bus passes, and athletic equipment
10. Become a friend to a refugee family

I Was a Stranger is a website created by the LDS Church. It contains informative articles and videos, and also has ideas for helping refugees. The videos are well-made and very informative. In addition, there are examples of how others are helping.  You can post your own stories of refugee relief on social media with #iwasastranger for a chance to be featured.

I personally have gained a testimony of the importance of helping. I wanted to find a way to keep giving and helping, so I decided to donate 10% of all purchases in my Etsy shop. I use the money to complete projects for the refugees, or donate the money to organizations focused to help in refugee aid. I have loved the opportunity to help in even a small way.