Page 10 - Samaritas Our Hands Fall/Winter 2023

HOUSING

Refugees Get a New Plymouth Home

After learning about the challenges refugees face when they make their journey to Michigan, Betsy Sole a long-time member at St. John’s
Episcopal Church had an idea.

She realized that the four-bedroom home that was being used as a
youth center could be repurposed to safely house refugees who were
fleeing war and persecution. So she asked her church leaders about
the idea and they agreed. From there Betsy made contacts with
contractors to secure bids and raised approximately $120,000 for
the renovations.

The space is named “St. John’s House for New Americans” will be
ready for a new refugee family to move in due to the support from
the Episcopal Diocese, the Masco Corporation of Livonia and the
Plymouth Rotary Club. Other donations came from individuals
within the community have helped with construction costs.

Housing remains a critical need for our refugee clients. If you are a
landlord or know of landlords who would like to partner with us to
resettle refugees in Michigan, contact Kelli Dobner at
Kelli.Dobner@samaritas.org

Welcome home! Meet Our New Housing
Development Strategist
Recently we partnered with
Samaritas to help a refugee Valerie Bradshaw runs a female led development company that
family set up a safe haven keeps humanitarian efforts at the forefront of the business. With
in the USA. a Master's Degree in Nonprofit Administration, she understands
the need to create stable and affordable housing solutions
After bravely fleeing Ukraine, this extended family is nationwide.
happy to make a new life in Michigan.
Valerie is excited to partner
Humble’s Mary Ellen Guastella Abraham and Amy Coker with Samaritas, Michigan's
Kearis took an empty space and created a happy and leading refugee
cheerful home. resettlement agency, to
combine her love of housing
We were thrilled at the reactions from the two happy with her nonprofit roots.
cousins who were so pleased with their new bedrooms Global events force more
and the living space for the family to gather. They were people and more around the
especially thrilled to have their own study space. world to relocate to find
safer more stable
Many thanks to the dre project and We Are Lasagna Love communities.
for providing food, and the many people who generously
donate to Humble Design Detroit. Valerie is proud to be on the team of The Michigan Refugee
Network to help create housing solutions for New Americans.
Together we strive to help people on their path to self-sufficiency
by creating short and long-term affordable housing solutions
combined with easy access to services.

Affordable Living
Family Center
Persons with Disabilities (PWD)
Family Center Homeless Shelter

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