I know that this is kind-of off the usual topic of architecture, but I just had to share this.
A couple of months ago my wife, Audra, and I decided that we wanted to organize "something" for charity. At first we had no clue what we wanted to do and many possible activities ran through our minds. My brother, Joel, passed away a few years ago after long a battle with cancer; should we do something to help fight and raise awareness for synovial sarcoma cancer? Our family is also passionate about doing more for victims of abuse; should we create a charity to support the helpless victims of abuse? The decision was tough.
Perhaps by coincidence, the architecture firm that I work at, Method Studio, was recently awarded a multi-family housing project by the Housing Authority of Salt Lake County. Of the 136 residential units that will be provided, 30% will be designated at low-income and refugee housing. Statistics show that in the year 2008, 42 million people were displaced throughout the world, including 15.2 million refugees. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presented 121,000 refugees for resettlement consideration by States. More than 67,000 refugees were resettled with UNHCR's assistance during 2008. Women and girls represent, on average, 49% of persons of concern to UNHCR. They also constitute 47% of refugees and asylum-seekers. It should also be noted that 44% of refugees and asylum-seekers are children below 18 years of age.
In 2009 the State of Utah accepted 1,265 refugees from around the world; primarily from Bhutan, Burma, Iraq and Somalia. These are individuals and families that have escaped the tremendous atrocities and devastating living conditions of their native lands. For those refugees this is a new beginning in a strange yet wonderful country. Many of us live in communities that house refugees. My children's elementary school has a handful of refugee children as students. They attend their classes dressed in their native clothes and provide additional diversity to the already multi-cultural base of Hispanics, Caucasians and Polynesians at the school.
With this newly acquired knowledge, we decided to contact Utah Refugee Services about joining forces. The result is a project named "Hats, Gloves and Scarves: Touching Lives, Warming Hearts". Our goal is to collect as many new winter hats, gloves and scarves as we can for refugees living in Utah. We all know that the colder winter months are fast approaching so please join us in providing a little extra warmth and kindness! Below you will find a handout that identifies collection points and times. Also, feel free to use the poster to help us spread the word. Pdf's of the poster can be provided upon request, see contact info at the bottom of this post.
A couple of months ago my wife, Audra, and I decided that we wanted to organize "something" for charity. At first we had no clue what we wanted to do and many possible activities ran through our minds. My brother, Joel, passed away a few years ago after long a battle with cancer; should we do something to help fight and raise awareness for synovial sarcoma cancer? Our family is also passionate about doing more for victims of abuse; should we create a charity to support the helpless victims of abuse? The decision was tough.
Perhaps by coincidence, the architecture firm that I work at, Method Studio, was recently awarded a multi-family housing project by the Housing Authority of Salt Lake County. Of the 136 residential units that will be provided, 30% will be designated at low-income and refugee housing. Statistics show that in the year 2008, 42 million people were displaced throughout the world, including 15.2 million refugees. The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) presented 121,000 refugees for resettlement consideration by States. More than 67,000 refugees were resettled with UNHCR's assistance during 2008. Women and girls represent, on average, 49% of persons of concern to UNHCR. They also constitute 47% of refugees and asylum-seekers. It should also be noted that 44% of refugees and asylum-seekers are children below 18 years of age.
In 2009 the State of Utah accepted 1,265 refugees from around the world; primarily from Bhutan, Burma, Iraq and Somalia. These are individuals and families that have escaped the tremendous atrocities and devastating living conditions of their native lands. For those refugees this is a new beginning in a strange yet wonderful country. Many of us live in communities that house refugees. My children's elementary school has a handful of refugee children as students. They attend their classes dressed in their native clothes and provide additional diversity to the already multi-cultural base of Hispanics, Caucasians and Polynesians at the school.
With this newly acquired knowledge, we decided to contact Utah Refugee Services about joining forces. The result is a project named "Hats, Gloves and Scarves: Touching Lives, Warming Hearts". Our goal is to collect as many new winter hats, gloves and scarves as we can for refugees living in Utah. We all know that the colder winter months are fast approaching so please join us in providing a little extra warmth and kindness! Below you will find a handout that identifies collection points and times. Also, feel free to use the poster to help us spread the word. Pdf's of the poster can be provided upon request, see contact info at the bottom of this post.
Donation Times:
November 13th (Saturday) 2010 - Noon to 5pm
Model A Cafe, 15 North 1600 West, Mapleton, UT
November 19th (Friday) 2010 - Noon to 5pm
Method Studio, 242 South 400 East, Salt Lake City, UT
For additional information or help with your donation please contact us at:
(801)502-9607 or ferngirl@gmail.com
Here is some addition inspiration
Betty Thompson - Compassionate Service
A comforting word, a friendly deed
Will bring you blessings untold
When you but give with a loving heart,
You'll always receive ten-fold.
When you help a needy friend
Along Life's rocky way,
the peace that's deep within your heart
You'll find is there to stay.
You'll find that peace eternal
Is a smile - a touch of cheer,
A simple prayer - a fond hello
Just knowing a friend is near.
I love it! This is a population that is near and dear to my heart after working with refugees for 10 years in SLC and now working with refugees in Thailand from all over the world. I'm so excited to hear about your involvement in the housing project. What a tremendous impact this will have on so many newcomers! Thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteAnd to those of you donating, may I please beg that you donate more than just the $1 stretchy gloves. That's nice and all but in the cold, cold Utah winters wouldn't you want something more substantial for your family? Something to keep out the cold and the wet? Just my 2 cents.
Thank you for helping one of the worlds most vulnerable populations transition from harms way to a new home.
Thank you Elissa for your comments! So far we have collected 509 items for Utah's refugees! Everyone's generocity has been amazing!!!!
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