Dear friend, 

When we first opened our Community Resource Center, we had a vision for this place.
 
We wanted it to be a gathering space for recently resettled refugees and immigrants. We wanted it to provide a warm,  welcoming “soft landing” for all who would come inside. We knew that despite Missoula working towards being a welcoming city, it could still feel foreign, strange, and possibly even scary to arrive in a place so different and unfamiliar.
 
We hoped the Center would be where refugees and immigrants would come to share their successes and their challenges. That it would be a place they’d feel comfortable coming for support in any of their endeavors. 

This vision still holds true. The Community Resource Center has become our inviting living room that brings us together as extended family.

Thanks to your partnership, we’re able to be dynamic and responsive in the ways we support refugees and immigrants who come through our doors. How we create a “soft landing” for families is in direct response to needs brought to us in this space.

DONATE TODAY

Soft Landing’s long-term assistance for refugees and immigrants, and our work in helping Missoula be informed and supportive, is as important as ever. 

The reality is that our country — and even our town — have a long way to go in becoming welcoming to all. There is still so much more good we can do together, so we can’t stop trying.
  
Will you help sustain the client-driven support that Soft Landing provides for refugees and immigrants in Missoula?

Let me tell you about Esther, one of the many friends whose presence at the Center embodies the vision we have for it.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Esther comes from a family of seven. They were forced to flee their home when she was five. Most of her memories are of Burundi, where her family sought refuge for 15 years until they were resettled in Missoula two years ago.
 
Through huge sacrifice, her family lives in safety now. Yet, Esther misses the sights, smells, noise, and loved ones back home. At first she worried about making friends or that Missoula would be too different, but she is working hard to make her future what she wants it to be. “ Right now… I can say that my life is different than when I came here. Because I have a job, I go to the Missoula College, I have new friends…”

Wonderfully, she has been visiting us almost daily to share exciting milestones and find support in her endeavors.
 
From earning her driver’s license to navigating college enrollment, finding her very own first apartment, and booking modeling gigs – all of the things she has accomplished have been born of her own heart and grit, but also nurtured and lifted up by her visits to the Center.

“I need to go to school because I have my future in my two hands. I always think about my future. What I want to do after school,” Esther told me recently. Her resilience and determination are strengths we see in many of the refugees and immigrants who walk through our doors.

This has been a challenging year. We know that challenges can also bring about creativity and opportunity- we get to see this first-hand in our interactions with families that visit our Center. 

We can see that in a world of uncertainty, the path forward is the important and powerful work we can do together with the communities we serve.

Will you continue your support of this critical work with a year-end gift that provides refugees and immigrants in Missoula with a welcoming, supportive “soft landing”? Any amount you can give is appreciated. We can’t do this without you.

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
Executive Director, Soft Landing Missoula

DONATE TODAY

P.S. —  Give today so that Missoula’s newest neighbors have access to a community of support and the opportunities that Soft Landing Missoula offers.

Election 2020- Our Thoughts…

Whew..here we are. The election is (hopefully? mostly?) over. We will have a new President of the United States AND the FIRST WOMAN VICE PRESIDENT- who also happens to be a multi-racial person of color and daughter of immigrants! Awesome. I have all the feels going on right now. Of course, I feel joy. I feel relief. I feel a lightness replacing the exhaustion of the last four years of struggle against leadership that didn’t seem to value the lives of families- both American and those born outside of our borders. That didn’t hold our beliefs that families should be able to seek out a safe place to live when their lives have crumbled around them. And, that as a community and as a country, we have the ability and therefore the responsibility to be a part of this solution. I want to shout joyfully to the rooftops that we are going into the next four years with an administration who has a plan that prioritizes starting to rebuild a robust refugee resettlement program and return to providing a safe home to asylees within the first 100 days in office! (I say “starting” because there was SUBSTANTIAL damage done to these systems and it is going to take long, thoughtful, and creative solutions to rebuild.)

But… however you cut it, the election was tough. It was tough to watch months (more?) of partisan conflict. It was tough to wait a few extra days to know the outcome- especially in a year where we feel like we have been waiting for life to get back to “normal” almost since the year started. It’s tough not to know what the next couple months will be like as challenges to the outcome play their way out in the courts. It is tough to know that our nation is so divided. And most of all, it is tough to know how to come out of this election and the past administration knowing what exactly the path forward TOGETHER will look like.

We are in the process of sending out our End of Year appeal. You will hear more about this in the near future, but I only mention it now because as I was signing some letters, I was also simmering on so many of these election related thoughts while I refreshed the map on my computer every 15 minutes (or was it 15 seconds?!?). I was also taking care to write personal notes to the human being on the other side of that letter and what I recognized was that quite a few times, I was writing a note to someone who has spent much, if not all, of their life voting quite differently than I do. That there are people that may politically align differently than many Soft Landing supporters, but that stood up and stood with us to welcome families seeking refuge into our community. And not just stood by, but actively contributed to our work. It was an incredible reminder for me, and I guess, I wanted all of us to know that. To remember that for so long, refugee resettlement and asylum were supported across aisles and that we still have a chance for this to be the reality again. Along with this, there will be new relationships to form at the state level and it will be important to show the strength and humanity of taking politics out of our country’s commitment to those seeking safety. I am not saying it is easy, or that it will happen quickly. Or that this election doesn’t come with baggage even more complicated than refugee resettlement. I recognize that it comes from a place of privilege in the fact that I have only been at this for 5 years, not a lifetime of a fight trying to prove the worth of my and my loved one’s lives. I’m just saying that I believe we CAN get to a place with less divisive partisanship, and we are going to have to be the ones to reach out our hands, to approach the challenge with kindness and love (always love). That someone you might see as on the opposite side from you, may have common ground. Humans are complicated and so are politics.

I’m so honored to be on this journey with ALL of you and excited for many years of Welcoming in our future.

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

It’s been a minute,

A month actually, since our last newsletter.  Admittedly, it has been really hard for me to sit down and write this one. It’s not for lack of things to say (Ha!) but it’s for a lot of reasons that we are all feeling right now. I feel scattered. It is hard to focus. There is so much coming at us each moment, that it is hard to get simple tasks done while we fumble through much bigger tasks that seem to be swirling around in this pool of uncertainty. We are navigating so much right now- Kiddos in a school environment that still seems to be shifting weekly if not daily, jobs that are dynamic at best and non-existent at worst, rising COVID numbers and concerns for our families and loved ones, policies that continue to threaten our work and the people and planet we love (another decrease in the already DISMAL annual refugee admissions ceiling- are you kidding me?!?!?), AND, did you notice that there is a super important ELECTION going on?!? VOTE!!!

I keep telling myself- Fight the distraction!  You should be able to focus.  It is so important to be more focused than ever right now. Find your dang focus!  It doesn’t help… But then I give in and offer myself space instead. Another week’s breath on getting out the newsletter. An early night to bed when my 3 inboxes are still stuffed full. Another night of Bridge Pizza delivered. Turning off social media- completely. An impromptu soccer match with my (mostly feral by now) son in the rain before dinner. Singing Frozen for the 80th time that day with my (mostly feral by now) daughter while gesturing passionately around the living room. And I look around me at the last month, and I think holy cow, we may be a bit distracted, but so so much great life and so so much important work has gotten done despite it all. 

I smile as I realize that some of this lack of focus has just been that we are busy. Busy helping folks navigate the same uncertainty that I am struggling with. Busy working with refugee kiddos to make sure they are getting as much access to education and technology as any other kiddo in Missoula. Busy writing grants for this work, and bringing on new staff for this work. Busy offering delicious food and connection to all of you, while offering much needed income for refugee families. Busy looking at our equity policies and bringing on new board members. Busy with partners and National networks. Busy welcoming new families from Congo, Ethiopia, and Syria (Yes! this is still happening!!! Missoula has had 6 new families arrive in the last couple months). Busy being one of the only organizations/facilities with an actual open door (along with a COVID policy) for refugees right now. And while the uncertainty contributing to my difficulty in feeling focused feels uncomfortable, the great work that comes along with the business actually feels pretty good. I’m in awe every day of our little office and our amazing (growing!) team of staff and volunteers, and I feel so grateful to be here in this moment, with you people, focused or unfocused, doing the work we do.

In love and gratitude (and health!),

Mary

P.S.-  If you need a stronger message about how incredibly important it is to VOTE- hear this: Votes cast now through November, including National, State, and local, will determine the safety, education, dignity, and resources for our communities in addition to the future of the refugee resettlement program, immigration policy, and rights for immigrants and refugees. Check your registration, make your plan to vote, research what will be on your ballot, and make sure your friends and family to do the same. Be obnoxious about this last part. Volunteer if you can. Luckily, the gals scooping the ice cream for my husband and my first date night in what seems like 100 months were really excited when I asked if they had a plan to vote and they told me that their ballots were already turned in! We may not be seeing too many folks right now, but ask EVERYONE you do see or talk to!

P.P.S- This is an amazing, not to be missed article that brings incredible perspective to getting through this crisis with hope and resilience- just like so many refugees worldwide facing trauma and uncertainty. It helped me through a hard week last week and I hope it is an inspiration for you too.

Welcome (back!) Natalia!

Natalia Boise joined the Soft Landing crew in September as a Montana Campus Compact AmeriCorps Leader. She is coordinating education outreach and development for refugee youth in Missoula. Natalia was one of Soft Landing’s very first interns years ago in our infancy 😉 We are so excited to welcome her back. Read more about the awesome things she will be doing with refugee youth in Missoula!

READ MORE

Welcome (back!) Heather!

At the beginning of October, with the help of the School-aged Child Care Grant for COVID relief through the State of Montana, we were able to bring on Heather Molloy to help further the impact and reach of our youth programming. For years, as both an SLM volunteer and staff with the IRC, she has helped Missoula create a “soft landing” and we are stoked to finally get to be able to get her on our team!

READ MORE

Events and Opportunities

>> Winter Clothing Drive! It is getting COLD folks!  Please consider donating gently used, clean, and weatherproof outerwear to keep refugee families warm this winter.  Full list of accepted items and how to get them to us HERE >>

>> On Tuesday, October 27th at 12pm MT, join the Hello Neighbor Network Roundtable with grassroots nonprofit leaders, including Mary Poole of Soft Landing Missoula, to learn more about the national climate and hear examples of some of the most innovative programs happening for refugees and immigrants in communities across the country.>>

>> One of the chefs with United We Eat, Zohair Bajwa, is working towards opening his own Pakistani food truck! We thought we would share this opportunity to help support the creation of this new small business because we greedily want to eat his incredible food ALL THE TIME. It’s sooooo good! >>
 

At the beginning of October, with the help of the School-aged Child Care Grant for COVID relief through the State of Montana, we were able to bring on Heather Molloy to help further the impact and reach of our youth programming. Heather started out as an incredibly dedicated volunteer for Soft Landing in 2016 and has spent the last 3 years working as the Housing Specialist for the International Rescue Committee in Missoula. While the funding for this specific position currently only goes through December, we know that Heather always has a home with Soft Landing Missoula and we hope to seek funding to keep up this position and the essential work she will start with us in that short time. She is working hard at connecting one-on-one tutors with students to alleviate the burden placed on working parents at this time while also improving educational outcomes for kiddos. The addition of Heather to our team has allowed us to expand services to elementary aged students, where before our focus had been only middle and high school students. Heather is a bright light for everyone she comes in contact with and has the biggest and most true heart of anyone we have ever known. For years she has helped us create a “soft landing” and we are stoked to finally get to be able to get her on our team!

Natalia Boise joined the Soft Landing crew in September as a Montana Campus Compact AmeriCorps Leader. She is coordinating education outreach and development for refugee youth in Missoula. Her focuses include an after-school academic mentorship program, creating pathways and resources for higher education, increasing digital literacy, helping students to develop goals by providing skills for academic success, and organizing social and team-building outings for our youth. Her aim is to facilitate access to higher education and to provide academic and emotional support for the students, and to empower the youth to build visions for their futures.

Natalia was one of Soft Landing’s very first interns years ago in our infancy 😉 We are so excited to welcome her back in this incredibly important year long position and are so grateful for the wonderful work already started in her short month back with us. What isn’t written in the statement above is the impromptu study sessions turned dance parties that make the kids connect with and love this amazing gal. We are so lucky to have her.

Join us in helping our new neighbors gear up for winter. Each Fall, Soft Landing makes winter essentials available for free to our newest resettling families and growing children in our older families. Bring in your own donations, or use your network to help collect even more items. Together we help make this a warm and cozy winter for our new neighbors.

We are collecting new and clean, gently used:

• Coats

• Hats

• Gloves

• Ski Pants

• Warm Socks

• Water Proof Boots

  Bring them by our office anytime Monday-Friday between 10am-2pm or email donate@softlandingmissoula.org if you can’t make those hours. Thank you!

Welcoming Week 2020!

Yup- things are gonna look a little different this year, but we know this week-long, nationally celebrated series of events to celebrate Welcoming in our communities September 11th- 20th will still be great! 

Craving connection? We’ve got you! 

Craving delicious food? We’ve got you!

Craving an interesting movie with a local panel to follow? We’ve got you!

Craving making your voice heard in support of refugees and immigrants in our community? We’ve got you!

Craving beer to go with it all? Yes! We’ve even got you on this one too!

Take a peek at the schedule below and then visit our website for additional info on how to connect with each of these fun and rewarding events.

That’s it from (usually way more rambly) me today! Hope to “see” you at one or more of these experiences soon 😉

In love and gratitude,

Mary

P.S.- There is some other GREAT news from United We Eat and some fun photos of our Habitat For Humanity Build day with the Lumona Family below! Keep scrolling!

United We Eat @home

Launches it’s first pick-up menu TOMORROW!!!  If you are interested in enjoying an incredible, authentic international (in this case, Iraqi) meal for take-out while providing economic opportunity for refugee and immigrant chefs- click below! Don’t wait- they sell out fast.  While you are there, add yourself to the email list to sign up for weekly menus and get first crack at ordering.

United We Eat

UWE Kitchen Fund

For the month of September, join us in raising funds for the first year’s rent of our new commercial kitchen space! Be a part of our ability to offer creative, nimble programming that our chefs rely on for critical supplemental income- and your belly enjoys as well! A generous donor has offered a $6,000 match! Help us get the rest of the way with your gift to this delicious and essential program.  Thank you!

UWE Kitchen Fund

Enjoy these photos of a GREAT day building and raising walls with Habitat for Humanity for the Lumona Family from Congo!

Things look a little different this year (mostly virtual!) but please join Soft Landing Missoula and partners for Missoula’s fourth annual Welcoming Week. In tandem with thousands of other organizations and communities nationwide, Soft Landing hopes to inspire and celebrate welcoming all people to the Missoula community. Together with Imagine Nation Brewing Co, the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, the International Rescue Committee in Missoula and more, we invite you to this weeklong cultural celebration!

=======================================================================================

TOGETHER NEW ENGLAND INDIA PALE ALE RELEASE

Friday, Sept. 11, 2pm and through the week until sold out @ Imagine Nation Brewing Co

As is now tradition for Welcoming Week, we kick things off with a custom beer from the country’s first combo microbrewery + transformation center—Imagine Nation Brewing Company. A crowd favorite each year, pick some up for home to enjoy during our virtual events this year, or enjoy at INBC with limited patio seating. While you pick up your brew, remember that Kamoon Arabian Cuisine food truck in the INBC lot is serving the best Middle Eastern food around! Cheers to Welcoming!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

VIRTUAL WELCOMING WEEK KICK-OFF PARTY HOSTED BY WELCOMING AMERICA

Saturday, Sept. 12, 1pm ONLINE @ Welcoming America

This free live stream event hosted by the creators of Welcoming Week—Welcoming America-—will feature music, dance, inspiring personal stories and more to kick off this national week of celebration. You can find out more info about this event and register for free online here.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

SOCCER SHOOTOUT

This year, we are celebrating with our international soccer community by hosting an outside, socially-distanced, tournament-style shootout event. Open to registrants and their families only—but look for some great photos on FB and IG following the event!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

VIRTUAL ADVOCACY DAY

Wednesday, Sept. 16, 7am-11pm from the comfort of your own home

Currently, refugee arrivals in the U.S. are at their lowest levels in the history of the U.S. resettlement program. Our country’s retreat from refugee resettlement leaves families and children in harm’s way. Join the International Rescue Committee and Missoula Rises in solidarity as we meet virtually via Facebook to write and call our legislators asking for their support on this day!

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

VIRTUAL MOVIE AND DISCUSSION NIGHT

Thursday, Sept. 17, 6:30pm (82-min movie with discussion to follow) from the comfort of your own home

Join the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center and Imagine Nation Brewing Co for an online screening of the incredible movie “Day One” that follows a group of refugee teenagers through a brand new but unique American transitional high school experience in a rust-belt city intentionally welcoming immigrants in challenging times. The film will be followed by a virtual panel discussion. More information and a link to view the film is located here (Facebook event).

———————————————————————————————————————————————————-

VIRTUAL COOKING CLASS WITH UNITED WE EAT

Saturday, Sept. 19, 1:30-3pm from the comfort of your own kitchen

Did you love the meals cooked by the awesome United We Eat refugee and immigrant chefs last summer? Did you wonder what their secret is to making the food taste SO GOOD? Well, here’s your chance to find out! Our very own Chef Farida, who is from Afghanistan, has agreed to teach you some of her cooking secrets, passed on to her from her grandmother. This $10 class (select the $15 option and leave a nice tip for the chef!) will take place live on Zoom and participants will be able to interact and ask cooking questions as we go along. Check out the United We Eat website for more information and to sign up and consider sharing our Facebook Event far and wide!

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Huge thanks to this years Welcoming Week Partners and Sponsors! You guys are SHOWING UP big time to celebrate welcoming – even in such a challenging year. We thank you!

We are so excited to welcome Beth and Katie to the Soft Landing Missoula team! They will be leading our very popular food based programming- United We Eat– allowing us to not only offer you delicious food, but also the opportunity to help support refugee and immigrant chefs in our community by creating essential supplemental income. Adding Beth and Katie to our team means that there is so much delicious stuff coming your way! While United We Eat is a program of Soft Landing Missoula, it does have it’s own website and email list. We highly encourage anyone interested in great food from around the world to visit unitedweeatmt.org and sign up for the email list so you don’t miss out! There you can also find more information about our amazing chefs and our upcoming cookie sales, United We Eat @home, and more!

Beth Baker joins us as the United We Eat Program Manager:

Katie Kirwan joins us as the United We Eat Kitchen Manager

Welcome home Beth and Katie!

UPDATE: Team registration is full. Contact molly@softlandingmissoula.org to register as an individual.

Welcoming Week is a national series of events where communities bring together immigrants, refugees, and long-time residents to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.

Welcoming 2020 takes place September 12-20. In order to celebrate Welcoming Week this year, Soft Landing Missoula is hosting a Soccer Shootout Tournament on September 13th at 4pm-8pm at Playfair Park.

Teams of 5 or individuals can register through Soft Landing Missoula here https://forms.gle/SBjXSfQjPeh3b8h9A. Teams are guaranteed at least three shootouts in a tournament-style play leading ultimately to one grand winner. Team t-shirts are included with registration. The cost of registration is $100 per team or $20 per individual and all proceeds directly benefit Soft Landing Missoula’s work to create a welcoming and supportive community where refugees and immigrants can integrate and thrive.