Arrive Ministries

"Last week reaffirmed one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about Philanthropy and Empowerment work." Read the full reflection from Sem, our Director of Empowerment. Scroll down to play a game or read a website created by our web development students! ___ "Watching refugees present their final web development projects at their Arrive Ministries graduation moved me to tears. These students not only met all the project requirements but infused their work with profound meaning. One built a website to share vital advice about the importance of Nutrition, offering real, life-saving insights. Another created a game, explaining, “Sometimes, we’re so busy working, we forget to relax. I designed this game to help people unwind.” I want to share their creation with you, and I’d love to hear your scores! It’s astonishing—these individuals, many with no prior web development experience, learned HTML and successfully built these projects. Click It Game: clickitgame.netlify.app Nutrition informational page: https://lnkd.in/gg__EytG This experience underscores the incredible potential of refugee and immigrant clients when given access to skills they need to thrive in today’s digital world. Many of these students had never used a computer before. Yet, through determination and guidance, they crafted websites and earned certificates acknowledging their achievements. Their journey exemplifies the transformative power of education and technology. I am deeply grateful to the leadership at @itotafrica (Yann Mulonda, Lauren Mulonda, Joshua Essert) for their unwavering support in this mission. These moments fuel my passion for the nonprofit sector. Empowering marginalized individuals brings immense joy, knowing they are equipped to shape their futures and contribute meaningfully to society. I look forward to seeing how these talented individuals continue their educational journey at Arrive Ministries and beyond. Together, we are making a difference."

A sweet note from our resident home visitor/tea drinker!

It's been a hard week for nonprofits -- let us clear up some confusion about government funding for Arrive Ministries’ resettlement services. Despite what you may have heard, the revocation of the federal funding freeze has no impact on the U.S. refugee resettlement program. The critical funding gap left by the government renouncing its commitment to serve refugee neighbors already in Minnesota REMAINS. Separate from the 1/28/25 funding freeze (and the order that rescinded it), a stop-work order received by refugee resettlement agencies on 1/24/25 rescinded financial assistance to refugees who just arrived in Minnesota. This funding remains withdrawn and is not being reimbursed by the federal government right now. Nonetheless, at Arrive Ministries, we are committed to keeping 109 people housed who just arrived over the past few weeks. These are people that God has entrusted to us, and we will fulfill our promise to them — no matter what. Your generosity ensures we can keep providing for these families, including paying rent this week for the families who need it in February. We are grateful for the outpouring of unwavering support for refugees when it's needed most. We couldn’t do this without you. https://lnkd.in/g6cxwDDs

On Friday evening we received notice that the U.S. State Department withdrew funding that was committed to the resettlement of refugees who are already in Minnesota. This stop-work order directs us to stop providing all initial resettlement services immediately. These funds were not a part of the federal funding freeze announced on Jan. 28, and are still being retracted. Initial government funding provides the most basic assistance to cover food, shelter, and utilities during a refugee’s first 3-months in Minnesota. This order means the State Department has suddenly defaulted on its commitment made to refugees who were invited to be resettled in the U.S. after they were forced to flee their homelands. In essence, promises by the U.S. government have been broken to vulnerable people who legally entered our country less than three months ago. This has a devastating impact on the 109 newly-arrived clients we committed to serving. We need to raise $250,000 in emergency support to fill this sudden and significant gap for our newest neighbors who have called Minnesota home for only a few weeks. In the face of this unimaginable situation, now is the time for the Church to be the hands and feet of Jesus for these families. https://lnkd.in/g6cxwDDs