I.R.I.M.
Interchurch Refugee and Immigration Ministry

With major support for this organization coming under the umbrella of One Great Hour of Sharing, the local IRIM group helps refugee families relocate to the Chicago area. After finding host families or host churches, the members of IRIM guide a family and church through the "adoption procedure" and offer English as Second Language classes, job training, and child care so that all members of the family get through the transition of relocation and resettlement.

In the summer of 1999, St. Luke joined with IRIM to sponsor a refugee family from Kosovo. There was much to learn about gathering furniture, purchasing basic household items, and communicating with a family that was torn from its home because of war and discrimination.

The spring of 2001 gave us a family from Togo, Afrtica. The members of St. Luke cam forward with furniture, food, clothing and personal care items to help this family resettle in a new home town.

It is the goal of St. Luke's Mission Committee to try to sponsor a refugee family every other year, and offer them the helping hands so necessary to establish themselves in a new community and new home.