Page 17 - Our Hands Fall/Winter 2021
P. 17

REFUGEE FOSTER CARE
























            The Samaritas Youth Art Show Hits the Road
            In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Samaritas has partnered with Herman
            Miller to host our Refugee Youth Art Show at all five of their locations across
            Michigan. Each painting, individually created by youth in refugee foster care, is
            accompanied by information about the artist and their description and explanation
            of their artwork.

            These artists have come from countries around the world, such Honduras,
            Guatemala, El Salvador, Myanmar/Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and
            Eritrea. Thanks to Herman Miller’s partnership, these resilient teenagers
            and children have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the
            community through their art – a way of expression that allows them to
            show their hearts, hopes, dreams, and who they are as individuals.

            On September 22, employees of Herman Miller also came together for a
            virtual presentation to learn about Samaritas’s work with unaccompanied
            refugee minors and unaccompanied children. Attendees heard directly
            from refugee service staff about the services Samaritas provides and
            ways for individual community members to become involved through
            mentoring and foster care.

            Along with staff, a special guest joined the presentation - Edwin Roberto
            Hernandez-Ventura, who came to Samaritas’s Refugee Foster Care
            program in 2016. Edwin shared his moving story as an unaccompanied minor resettled through Samaritas. He has
            since aged-out of Samaritas’s foster care program, but pursues a new road of advocating for New Americans by
            serving as Michigan’s own delegate to the Refugee Congress.

            A huge thank you to Herman Miller for this exciting opportunity to share our mission work.



                                              The Youth Art Shop is Open for Business
                                              Purchase something from our online Youth Art Shop to support the
                                              Samaritas Refugee Foster Care, Unaccompanied Refugee Minors and other
                                              unaccompanied children in our care.


                                              You can have your favorite piece printed on an item like
                                              a mug, tote bag, sticker or a spiral notebook for a small
                                              fee. You can even purchase an 8 x 10 inch or 18 x 24 inch
                                              reprint of your favorite piece for your home. Proceeds
                                              from each sale will help fund Samaritas New American
                                              enrichment programs.

                                              Scan the QR code and go right to the Youth Art Shop!





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