Thoughts about Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2009

Thoughts from Bob Kell,

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, 2009

It was beautiful to watch the pre-inauguration celebration on the Washington Mall. The beauty of our country’s diversity was so apparent. People there believe the promise that this country has a place for all. While much work remains to be done, there are signs of hope, reminding us of what we can be as a country.

At the same time, we hear stories of youth that continue to be the victims of racial slurs, of dreams that are extinguished by a system that still has no place for young people who grew up with no papers. We see a faltering economy that is finding many victims, not least among the working poor where many immigrants number themselves. The work is not yet done.

The Welcome Center and Faribault Diversity Coalition have made such work its mission. It has worked to remind us all of our call to be a community of respect, of compassion, and of empowerment. It has tried to be a place where food, clothing, assistance, and learning are offered to all who find themselves in need.

But like many in this economy, it too is struggling. Grants have been difficult to come by. Fundraising attempts have fallen short. We are facing some difficult decisions in the months ahead. The challenge is to sustain what has begun.

Looking back on 2008, what has the Welcome Center accomplished? Its Food Shelf provided 36,387 lbs of food to 1237 families in the Faribault community. It provided orientation and communication support in response to over 1200 immigrant requests for assistance. The Welcome Center organized the Community Garden where 25 families came together to grow food. International Market Day brought our community together for the third year to celebrate its diversity over Labor Day weekend, with over 400 visitors to Central Park. Sharing Circles brought people together to learn of each other as neighbors. Carpentry classes joined community mentors with new learners to pass on skills for life and work.

Telling for the coming months has been the caseload in the last month and a half. Since December 1, the Welcome Center has handled 165 appointments for assistance with forms or information. 80 of them had to do with applications for unemployment.
December was also our heaviest month for Food Shelf usage, serving 161 households with 4750 lbs of food. The Welcome Center is meeting a clear need.

We are seeking your support for 2009. We continue to seek alternative funding, but we are in urgent need of financial and volunteer help at this time. We believe we are meeting a need in the community and look for ideas and assistance that may enable us to continue our work into the future. Please consider how you may be able to help. This plea is not just for the Welcome Center, but for all the people who turn to it for help.