“My goal is to just do as much as we can to reduce unnecessary suffering and to help refugees thrive in our community.” We’re trying to give them back that sense of feeling they are important and worthy. I feel like restoring dignity is what we’re trying to do. “From having to leave their country due to war raging there, to family members killed in the conflict, to loved ones killing themselves here because it’s all too much to handle, to living in horrible conditions slumlord owners will not repair. “I feel like the inherent dignity in these families has been stripped away in so many regards,” Hannah says. The mission is to give people who’ve lost so much a little comfort. “Usually, the families that qualify for a home makeover are dealing with a terminal illness or major disability that prevents them from pulling themselves up by the bootstraps,” she says. Restoring Dignity has grown into a full-fledged agency with its own donation center and the ability to marshal scores of volunteers. “I have always felt the need to stand up for people who didn’t fit in anywhere else to try to make them feel more welcome.” “I’ve always been an advocate,” she says. Her compassionate concern led her to form Restoring Dignity. In Omaha, what began as a one-off activity to aid a single family multiplied when Hannah realized many refugee families, whether from Burma, Nepal or the Congo, face similar circumstances. Some refugee cultural practices, combined with unfamiliarity on how to keep up a home, can lead to unsanitary conditions that breed pest infestations. Refugees may still struggle to turn a house into a home due to unsafe, unhealthy living conditions in rental properties that some landlords are lax in addressing. Those coming to America often move several times before finding a permanent residence. Language and other barriers can be frustrating. A lucky few get resettled – but often half a world away. It begins with fleeing one’s country of origin to a holding camp in a strange land as a displaced person. The refugee odyssey is particularly daunting. She learned even after escaping war or genocide to start anew somewhere, refugees may be re-traumatized here by suffering a personal loss, financial hardship or stark living conditions. She befriended a Sudanese family who endured trauma abroad. Restoring Dignity founder-executive director Hannah Wyble first became aware of dire refugee housing needs as a social worker. “It’s cool to see people from the community unify together to show this love for families that have gone through so much,” he says. “You see a lot of the same (volunteers) coming back because once you do it, it becomes a very positive experience you want to recreate.”Ĭory Nelson intersects with the makeovers through his employer, Relevant Community Church, whose members join other metro area volunteers to redo distressed residences. “It’s always a very rewarding experience for our family,” says Jeff. That’s what makes Restoring Dignity really appealing for our family of ten.” “We like Restoring Dignity because we can usually sign up within a week of the go date,” Crystal says, “and they have specific needs that don’t require much planning or special skills. They began pitching in on Restoring Dignity makeovers of refugee homes after seeing a call for help. Volunteer Jeff and Crystal Young make community service projects a family endeavor. Their work also includes teaching basic cleaning skills and providing critical housing advocacy for refugees. Restoring Dignity brings refugee families furniture and household items to transform a living space into a home where they can thrive. Restoring Dignity depends heavily on volunteers and donors to ensure refugees have a decent place to live. *Note: Photos shared in this story were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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