Skip to content
HelpBLESS
Join free
Browse needsPeopleFeedDonationsHow it worksPost a needSign in
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 States3,196 views
Ethan E. Dean
Email verifiedPhoto verified
Rockford
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.
#refugees#resettlement#family

Updates from Ethan

  1. 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.

  2. Small update. $717 so far, we've started the first stage.

Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Kevin Alexander 🇺🇸 · $399
  • Evi Iris Hendriks 🇳🇱 · $100
  • Bongani K. Nkosi 🇿🇦 · $100

    “Blessings. Thought of Ethan all day after reading this. - Ekurhuleni”

  • Ming Jing Cui 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Ryan T. Cooper 🇺🇸 · $100

    “Thinking of you. I'm in Toledo, thinking of you. - Toledo”

  • Ana P. Campos 🇺🇸 · $100
  • Nasser Yusuf Habib 🇨🇦 · $75
  • Vaibhav N. Patel 🇮🇳 · $75
  • Anonymous 🇻🇳 · $70.50
  • Anonymous 🇬🇭 · $66
  • Zoya Maryam Mirza 🇵🇰 · $63
  • Ximena T. Muñoz 🇲🇽 · $56

    “Sending love. From Tlaquepaque with love.”

  • Priscilla Abigail Sackey 🇬🇭 · $55

    “Hang in there. Only $55 but hope it helps. - Accra”

  • Deepa N. Bhat 🇮🇳 · $52.50
  • Sérgio Luiz Amaral 🇧🇷 · $51.50

    “Wish I could do more. Thought of Ethan all day after reading this.”

  • Robert H. Perkins 🇺🇸 · $50
  • Anonymous 🇬🇧 · $50
  • Vandana W. Garg 🇮🇳 · $50
  • Juliet Ngozika Uzor 🇳🇬 · $50

    “Wishing you the best. This is from my last paycheck, glad to do it. - Warri”

  • Mariana Heloísa Santos 🇧🇷 · $50

    “Sending love. Thought of Ethan all day after reading this. - Campinas”

Reviews

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

No reviews yet.

Questions & comments

Ask before you give. Email-verified members can comment and ask questions - no donation needed.

Sign in or create a free account to join the conversation.

  • Bisma Rukhsar Rana

    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.

    • Adnan Tariq MalikID verified

      Good luck, Ethan. It takes guts to ask. Well done. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust. Blessings.

      • Alamin Dipu Saha

        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.

        • Lucky Musa FalanaAddress verifiedPhoto verified

          Sending love, Ethan. Shared it with a few friends. We had a similar scare last year, I know what it feels like.

          • Karin Silke Beck

            Sending strength, Ethan. Gave what I could, wish it was more. I'll check back for the next update.

            • Alexa S. Norris

              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

              • Koji Hara

                Hope things get better soon, Ethan. Your post was clear and honest. My husband and I read this together.

                • Suren B. Singh

                  Hope it all works out, Ethan. Hope you get there. It's not much but it's yours. Take care.

                  $2,310.50 raised of $4,900

                  Give

                  More people who need help