Thanksgiving Gifts Bring Encouragement to 80 Refugee Families

Thanksgiving is a time for families, friends, and neighbors to come together and share gratitude.

During the holiday season, GFoundation visited refugee families who have resettled in the United States and are building new lives in Louisville, Kentucky, and Dayton, Ohio.

Working alongside trusted local partners, we delivered Thanksgiving gifts and messages of encouragement to 80 refugee families.

Cards Filled with Children’s Encouragement

The Thanksgiving gifts included something especially meaningful: handwritten messages from children.

During GFoundation’s “Walk with Refugees”  fundraising walkathon in October, participating children wrote messages of encouragement for refugee families. Their messages were later turned into cards and included with the gifts delivered during our Thanksgiving visits.

These cards created a simple connection between children from different communities and shared a message of welcome and encouragement during the holiday season.

Supporting Refugee Families in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky, has become an important community for refugee resettlement, welcoming individuals and families from countries including Afghanistan, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As newly resettled families begin rebuilding their lives in the United States, local organizations and community partners help connect them with housing, education, and other resources that support their transition and long-term stability.

A Local Partner Serving Refugee Families

Korea Saehan Church of Louisville has worked alongside local organizations to support refugee families for many years.

Its work includes welcoming newly arrived families, providing practical assistance, operating after-school activities, and hosting summer programs where refugee children can participate in soccer, crafts, mentoring, and other activities.

These established relationships helped GFoundation connect personally with families in the community.

Visiting Families at Home

With the introduction of Pastor Sanghun Kim, our team visited several refugee families connected with the church.

The families we met represented different countries, languages, cultures, and experiences. Visiting their homes gave us an opportunity to spend time together and learn more about the communities they are building in Louisville.

Sharing Thanksgiving Gifts and Encouragement

During each visit, we shared Thanksgiving gift sets along with the encouragement cards prepared by children through Walk with Refugees.

We spent time talking with families and praying together for their health and well-being.

Rather than simply delivering gifts, these visits gave us an opportunity to connect personally with families as they continue establishing their lives in their new community.

Continuing Our Thanksgiving Outreach in Dayton, Ohio

After Louisville, our outreach continued in Dayton, Ohio.

There, GFoundation connected with refugee families through No Longer Strangers (NLS), a local nonprofit that has been serving refugee communities in the area.

During our visits, we saw some of the housing challenges experienced by families in neighborhoods where abandoned or poorly maintained homes remain a concern.

No Longer Strangers: Building a New Home

What began as a neighborhood ministry in 2012 officially became No Longer Strangers (NLS), a nonprofit organization, in 2018. Since then, NLS has continued supporting refugee families in the Dayton community through home visits, donated essential supplies, assistance with paperwork, and other practical resources that help families adjust to life in their new community.

Ann Kim joined NLS in 2019 and has served as Director since 2022, helping lead the organization’s ongoing work with local refugee families. NLS also provides tutoring and summer programs for children, creating opportunities for young people to learn, connect, and build relationships within the community.

Two years ago, Missionary Cho Kwang Ho and Mrs. Cho Myung Hee, sent by New Jersey Pilgrim Mission Church, joined the NLS team. Drawing on her previous experience as a nurse, Mrs. Cho visits refugee families in their homes to check on health concerns, assist with medication refills, and help connect families with appropriate medical care when needed.

Through these ongoing relationships, NLS provides more than one-time assistance. Its volunteers and staff walk alongside refugee families as they establish their lives in Dayton, helping them navigate everyday needs while building connections within their new community.

Sharing Hope with Families in Dayton

Together with NLS, GFoundation visited refugee families in their homes to share Thanksgiving gifts and encouragement.

Among the families we met was a recently arrived family from Rwanda whose child was experiencing health challenges. We spent time with the family and prayed together for their health and well-being.

At several homes, children helped interpret for their parents, making conversation possible across language differences.

Before leaving each home, we shared gifts and took time to connect with the families.

Supporting 80 Refugee Families This Thanksgiving

Through our Thanksgiving outreach in Louisville and Dayton, GFoundation delivered gifts to 80 refugee families.

We are grateful to Korea Saehan Church of Louisville, No Longer Strangers, and every supporter who helped make these visits possible.

Each family has a different story, but these visits reminded us of the importance of trusted local partnerships and personal connection as refugee families establish their lives in new communities.

As the holiday season continues, GFoundation remains committed to supporting refugee families through practical assistance, community partnerships, and meaningful opportunities for connection.