I (and others like me) have been actively looking for a way to help refugees.
Over and over I keep thinking: “What if it had been me who’d lost everything and had to flee my homeland with a baby in my arms? Who would help me?”
If you live in Minnesota, here’s info on what you can do to help. Right away. Now.
Many thanks to our friends at yesandyes.org for providing these details. She writes:
“There are refugees (from all over the world) on their way to Minnesota as we speak!
The International Institute of Minnesota is helping to coordinate their arrival and gathering items that will make it a tiny bit easier.
If you’re in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and you’re interested in helping, here’s what they need:
ADDRESS
International Institute of Minnesota
1694 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
Drop off times: 8:45am – 5pm Monday-Friday
ONLY THE ITEMS BELOW CAN BE DONATED AT THIS TIME:
Baby Items:
Unopened packages of diapers
Unopened packages of diaper wipes
Baby clothes
Winter Clothing:
Coats
Boots
Gloves, Hats, Scarves
Household Items:
Dishes
Glassware
Silverware
Tea kettles
Garbage cans (Only New)
Garbage bags
Bed linens (laundered)
Blankets (laundered)
Towels (laundered)
Dish towels (laundered)
Vacuums
Laundry baskets
School Supplies:
Pencils
Calculators
Pens
Notebooks
Folders
Crayons
Backpacks
Other Items:
Maps of the City
Gift Cards (only to Cub Foods, Target, Goodwill)
Bus Cards
IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN WORKING MORE CLOSELY WITH A REFUGEE FAMILY:
Check out International Institute of Minnesota’s refugee mentorship program: http://www.iimn.org/get-involved/volunteer/refugee-mentor
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SHIP DONATIONS:
You can ship donations directly from your home to the International Institute’s offices. You can also ship donations from Amazon.
Shipped donations should be addressed to:
Bridget Ehrman-Solberg
International Institute of Minnesota
1694 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
IF YOU’D LIKE TO DONATE MONEY:
You can do so here: https://www.givemn.org/organization/International-Institute-Of-Minnesota.”
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ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT HELPING REFUGEES HAS TO DO WITH GETTING KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE DEBT FREE?
This is why we go to college, stay out of debt, and get good jobs, folks. It’s so that we’re available with open arms and open hands when other humans need help.
All together now, let’s give.
Jeannie
Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie Burlowski is a full-time author and speaker. She helps parents set their kids up to graduate college debt free and move directly into careers they excel at and love. Her book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward is due out in 2016. To get Jeannie’s best help, subscribe to her free weekly email newsletter using the form on this site, and open it every single time it lands in your email inbox. Follow her on Twitter @JBurlowski.
“We only got around to doing a fraction of what Jeannie tells people to do, and we saved well over $50,000 on college costs. Our daughter earned a four year degree from an excellent private university at age 20, and she’s now in California happily working her dream job at Disney. Get to one of Jeannie’s live classes if you can. Buy a plane ticket if you have to!” — Liz and Tim Weatherhead, parents, Bloomington, MN