MoneyRefugees & displacementCritical
Resettlement support for 7 people arriving in Rockford
After fleeing Ethiopia, the Okonkwo family has arrived in Rockford with little more than their documents. They need help with a deposit, furniture and the first months.
🇺🇸 Rockford, Illinois, United States3,195 views
My family left Ethiopia 10 months ago after the conflict closed our school and clinic. We spent time in a camp before we were resettled in Rockford. We're a family of five and we're safe, but we arrived with very little.
Our resettlement agency has provided 4 months of rent, and that support ends in September.
I was a teacher in Ethiopia, and I'm studying the language every evening. Our daughter and son have started school and are doing well.
We want nothing more than to be self-sufficient. This fund will help us through the first six months.
All purchases will be documented and photos shared (with the family's consent).
Where the $4,900 goes:
• Rent deposit and first month: $2,100
• Beds, table and basic furniture: $1,500
• Winter clothing and school supplies: $800
• Language classes and bus passes: $270
• Phone and internet for school and job search: $230
If you can't give, please share this page. It does reach people.
Updates from Ethan
Good news. Because of your gifts ($1,070 in total) I met with the landlord and confirmed the amounts. Still a way to go but it feels less lonely.
Small update. $717 so far, we've started the first stage.
- Louis Guillaume Pierre 🇲🇦 · $10
- Deepa N. Bhat 🇮🇳 · $52.50
- Robert H. Perkins 🇺🇸 · $50
- Anonymous 🇳🇬 · $11.50
- Anonymous 🇧🇩 · $19.50
“Thinking of you. My sister told me about this one. - Narayanganj”
- Evi Iris Hendriks 🇳🇱 · $100
- Nasser Yusuf Habib 🇨🇦 · $75
- Anonymous 🇬🇧 · $50
- Juan D. Fuentes 🇺🇸 · $10
- Gianna B. Nichols 🇬🇧 · $20
- Esther Janet Waweru 🇺🇬 · $10
- Sandeep Kiran Subedi 🇳🇵 · $25
- Anonymous 🇪🇸 · $20
- Janani J. Warrier 🇮🇳 · $10
“From my family to yours. Thought of Ethan all day after reading this. - Mysuru”
- Lourdes R. Salazar 🇲🇽 · $5
“All the best. My brother told me about this one. - Zapopan”
- Upendo Mercy Kiptoo 🇰🇪 · $10
- Bongani K. Nkosi 🇿🇦 · $100
“Blessings. Thought of Ethan all day after reading this. - Ekurhuleni”
- Yoon-ah Yu-na Ryu 🇰🇷 · $13
- Kevin Alexander 🇺🇸 · $399
- Joon-woo Sung-min Jung 🇰🇷 · $10
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Hope it all works out. Gave what I could, wish it was more. Wish I lived closer to Surakarta so I could bring a meal. Take care.
Good luck, Ethan. It takes guts to ask. Well done. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust. Blessings.
Thanks for sharing this, Ethan. Reading this made my day a bit heavier but I'm glad I did. My neighbor had a similar thing happen so this one hit home. Thinking of Rockford.
Sending love, Ethan. Shared it with a few friends. We had a similar scare last year, I know what it feels like.
Sending strength, Ethan. Gave what I could, wish it was more. I'll check back for the next update.
Thinking of you and your family, Ethan. Gave what I could, wish it was more. I told my book club about it and three of them are giving too
Hope things get better soon, Ethan. Your post was clear and honest. My husband and I read this together.
Hope it all works out, Ethan. Hope you get there. It's not much but it's yours. Take care.