Dear First name / Great Neighbor, 

 

June is in full swing and our Hello, Firsts! spring campaign ended with nearly $52,000(!), providing new experiences for refugees and SIVs in Charlottesville well beyond the summer. We are so thankful to the Great Neighbors who gave generously so that our organization can continue to impact lives of newcomers in their first five years living in the United States. 

 

To celebrate, we'll be taking newcomer children and their families to the Metro Richmond Zoo—a first for many!—on World Refugee Day, June 20th.

Guests will enjoy a morning with many of the animals they've only seen in pictures, and volunteers and newcomers will eat lunch together before returning home. 

 

Another first this summer will be an inaugural International Neighbors book club for adults and teens. We'll be reading We Are Displaced, a collection of stories collected and written by Malala Yousafzai. Book club attendees may purchase their own book or pick up a copy at the International Neighbors office the week of June 22. We'll be meeting to discuss the book on Tuesday, July 21st from 6:30-8pm and will hear from Buki, a refugee from Kosovo with a truly remarkable story. Register below.

 

Though the summer season is quieter in our office, we are still ever working on behalf of those we serve, and the volunteers and community partners who support the newcomer community. Thank you for this privilege. 

 

Have a wonderful June!

Kari Anderson Miller, CEO and Founder

 

Join us for the first International Neighbors Book Club! We'll be reading We Are Displaced, a collection of stories gathered and written by Malala Yousafzai. Book club attendees can purchase their own book or pick up a copy at the International Neighbors office the week of June 22. We'll be meeting to discuss the book on Tuesday, July 21st from 6:30-8:00pm at the International Neighbors office and will hear from Buki, a refugee from Kosovo with a truly remarkable story. The book club is open to adults and teens ages 14+. Space is limited to 25 attendees. Please indicate in the registration if you'd like to pick up a book or if you will be purchasing one. 

For the third year in a row, Blooms4Good has named International Neighbors a primary partner organization. That means that a portion of every flower dollar from pop-ups, workshops, parties and festivals will be donated to IN. Blooms4Good is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization led by flower farmers who believe that tiny acts of goodness can make the world a better place, one bloom at a time. Click the button below to find out where Blooms4Good is this summer!