Chalice House News: Making a Fresh Start
From the moment they arrived with smiles and hugs, our new Chalice House guests — Yevheniia and Oleksander and their two daughters– have been eager to settle in.
Together with the mentor team and ICDI caseworker, they made a list of things they need and want to do, and have been busy working through it. First and foremost, they worked with SelfReliance Association to file the proper paperwork with the U.S. Government in order to receive their work permits. Next up was getting 14-year old Veronica and 5-year-old Milana enrolled and ready for school. Veronica entered PHS as a freshman and is excited about the possibilities (and not in the least intimidated by its size!) Milana enters first grade at her elementary school, which is just a couple of blocks away.
Thanks to those of you who provided gift cards, welcome cards, and transportation to help ease the transition. Local organizations Partners for Our Communities (POC) and Barrington Giving Day also helped with back-to-school supplies.
Yevheniia and Oleksander are eager to perfect their English schools. Yevheniia learned English in her high school, and is quite fluent. Oleksander’s school offered only German, however. They both attend the Learning Lab for English practice at POC almost every morning, and they will begin ESL classes at Palatine High School in the fall.
While they await their work permits, Oleksander looks for ways to be helpful, including mowing the Chalice house lawn and helping Siri (CCUU gardener extraordinaire) lug bricks around.
They’ve already experienced some of Chicago’s best, with visits to the lakefront, KoreaFest, Bahai Temple, and the Palatine Aquatic Center. Along the way they sampled Chicago hotdogs, pizza, and Arlington Heights’ renowned Capannari ice cream.
Community Welcome: Sun, Oct 13, 3-4:30 pm
Please join us in the Chalice House backyard on Oct. 13 to wish our new guests a warm welcome and enjoy some time with your fellow Chalice House supporters. We’ll also share more information about our sponsorship of the family through the U.S. government’s Uniting for Ukraine program (U4U), which allowed the family to escape the war in Ukraine. Please dress for the weather. If it is inclement, we will move inside the CCUU building. Fall treats will be served! Hosted by the Chalice House Community Team. RSVP here or email ChaliceHouse@CCUU.org by October 6.