Event:	Sort Clothing at the New Neighbors Free Store Share
Location:	TBD
Date:	Sep 26th 2024, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Staff:	Manager: Kinga S
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Event Description:

Come help us organize the Nuevos Vecinos (New Neighbors) free clothing closet.  We will be sorting and hanging clothing donations.  Each week, refugees come and shop for free at the store for clothing essentials. 

What we'll be doing:

Sorting, organizing and hanging clothing donations.

What you should know:

Dress is casual.  The store can get warm, so please dress accordingle.  Please bring water.

Where to Meet:

4750 N Sheridan.  Do not use the big main doors to the building, but enter through the door located to the left of the main doors.

New Neighbors-Nuevos Vecinos:

In late August 2022, the first bus of migrants and asylum seekers, mostly Venezuelans, arrived in Chicago. Since the arrival of the first migrant bus, the “Nuevos Vecinos” (New Neighbors) free store has clothed more than 7,000 of our new neighbors. We continue to clothe 100-200 new arrivals per week. Our free store is often the first opportunity for shoppers to replace the clothes and shoes that have served them for more than 4,000 miles. Recently, we moved to a more permanent location in the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) building in Uptown.

The Nuevos Vecinos volunteer team’s support for new arrivals extends beyond the free store’s walls. Our goal is to provide stability and a community of support at a time when our new neighbors’ futures feel uncertain. Therefore, the scope of our work has expanded to provide food, transportation, and assistance with accessing housing, education, and medical care. Our new neighbors often show up at our doors having walked for miles, without any money for transportation or food. 

Our store isn’t just a clothing resource, it’s a thriving community. Many of our new neighbors return to ‘pay it forward’ through their time and service. Our dedicated volunteers have given countless hours. There’s always room for more!  Every donation you make helps us sustain this vital space, providing asylum seekers not only with clothing, toiletries, Ventra cards, and other necessities, but with opportunities for work experience and community integration. Your contribution can make a world of difference in the lives of those seeking refuge and a chance for a better future.