Welcome Neighborhood Partnership

Your Sunday School Class or Church Youth Group could do international, cross-cultural ministry right here without even getting a passport!

There are almost 1000 new refugees arriving in Tucson every year, moving from far corners of the world right into apartment communities in our neighborhoods.

These new Americans are families who are looking for friends and who need encouragement as they struggle to begin their new life.

Opportunities To Serve:

1) BIG NEIGHBORHOOD EVENT- bring encouragement to the community by planning a block party type event

• Holiday (Christmas, 4th of July, International Religious Holidays, Halloween, etc.)
• Craft (Jewelry, Art, paper airplanes, etc.)
• Games/Sports (Soccer, Kickball, Hula Hoops, Slip N Slide, Red Rover, Red Light Green Light)
• Carnival (jumping castle, face painting, entertainment, balloon animals, contests, bobbing for apples, puppet show, etc.)
• Back-to-school (food, face painting, pool party, back pack distribution)

2) SERVICE PROJECT- do something to make the neighborhood look better

• Service Project at Refugee Community
• Service Project at local community park or school
• Help a resettlement agency furnish an apartment for a newly arriving refugee family

3) DONATION EVENT- assemble packets to hand out then pick date for delivery event

• Kids packet- pack in backpack or bag (bubbles, coloring books, small toys, games, sporting goods equipment, crayons, sidewalk chalk, jump rope, flag, etc.)
• Invite families to come interact and socialize and play with the kids while we distribute donations.

Follow up with PLAY DATES and plan other activities in the community with your new international friends, focusing on bringing the love of Jesus to this community for one month.

Take the kids on field trips, help tutor children who need extra help in school, or assign big brother/big sister adoptions for the month.

Our TRM Welcome Neighborhood Team will help you plan the event, introduce you to an international community, provide cross-cultural training before your event, and help your group debrief with follow-up discussion after your initial introduction to the neighborhood.

Contact Cherie Gray for more information