Many lasting relationships have been formed between volunteers participating in Exodus programs and refugees arriving in the Chicago area. Pack Many of Exodus's programs have been developed to fill a gap in providing services to refugees who have been invited to start over in the United States. Refugees who arrive in the US can apply for help from the government, but this help will take 30 days to begin. America Pack provides needed essentials to fill a bare apartment and welcome an arriving refuge family to their new life. After refugee families have arrived, they must begin the difficult process of learning a new way of life.
Refugees can often find material needs, but one of the most difficult losses to fill are friends.
The New Neighbor Program offers volunteers the opportunity to work one on one with refugees. New neighbor volunteers help with learning American customs, basic English and most importantly, a friend to talk with and who will listen. Exodus provides support to the volunteer through training and ongoing communication. New Neighbor Citizenship Program Having settled into their new lives, refugees face their next major step after five years in the US - applying for citizenship. New Neighbor Citizenship volunteers work with refugees who are studying for the exams.