Supporting Immigrants and Refugees
Jesus Christ is present in all persons and creation, no matter their country of origin. The Incarnate Word Foundation (IWF) lives out this core belief of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word in how we support Immigrants and Refugees. Over the years, this has looked like:
Members of the IWF staff visited the southern border in El Paso and Juarez as part of The Encuentro Project. This program aims to provide a deeper understanding of the complex and ever-changing realities at the U.S.-Mexico border. IWF staff met with various groups, including immigration attorneys, Border Patrol agents, and religious communities working on both sides of the border. They also volunteered at a migrant shelter, serving men, women, and children seeking asylum and a better life in the United States.
Panel Presentation
IWF hosted an educational panel titled “The Current State of Immigration: The US/Mexico Border and St. Louis City and County.” The panel included firsthand accounts from the southern border, insights into St. Louis’ immigrant population, and discussions on possible solutions aligned with Catholic Social Teaching. Over 100 people attend the event. The full panel is available on the Incarnate Word Foundation IWF YouTube channel.
When serving people that most incorrectly deem as “illegal” or welcome, life plus work can take a toll. IWF hosted a luncheon with Hispanic-serving ministries from around the region wherein everyone shared challenges, resources, best practices, and connections to help better the work for all.
The conversation was rich and varied. We shared strategies on how to overcome barriers to success, overcoming language limitations and cultural differences, sharing resources and contacts, advocating for what is legally required of federally funded agencies, developing more collaborative mindsets with colleagues in service, facilitating participation in planned events, and avoiding burnout.
Ministries in attendance were:
- Casa de Salud
- El Puente Hispanic Ministry, Jefferson City, MO
- Immigrant Home English Learning Program (IHELP)
- Marillac Mission Fund
- Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project (MICA Project)
- Missouri Foundation for Health
- Our Lady of Guadalupe School
- St. Cecilia School and Academy
- St. Francis Community Services
- St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA)
We left with renewed energy for our ministries, new colleagues to contact for advice and help, and a desire to continue the conversation. ¡Nada es imposible! (Nothing is impossible!)
Dr. Ness Sándoval, a demography and sociology professor at Saint Louis University, discussed the demographic challenges facing Metro St. Louis in a presentation titled “Unraveling Population Shifts: Exploring the Future of Metro St. Louis” [VIDEO] (view the PDF here) at Il Monastero and to the IWF Board in April 2024. He addressed natural population decline, out-migration, decreasing Black non-Hispanic populations, low racial diversity, and immigration. These factors, alongside fewer families with children, signify critical regional issues in need of attention on a large scale.
Just six months later, a census data report shows that the increase of foreign-born in the region is going in the right direction:
As reported by Andrea Y. Henderson of St. Louis Public Radio on Sept. 16, 2024: “The Hispanic or Latino population in the St. Louis metropolitan area is significantly rising. According to the latest U.S. Census data, there are now about 13,900 more in the region than in 2022, and it is the largest Hispanic or Latino population increase the area has ever seen. American Community Survey data shows nearly 110,400 people of Hispanic or Latino origin in the area in 2023, up from just under 80,000 a decade ago.”
There is still work to be done to increase our shared population across 15 counties in our MSA, but this is momentum upon which we can continue to build.
In response to the increasing need for temporary housing for immigrants and refugees in St. Louis, IWF partnered with agencies to launch an emergency shelter. Coalition partners include the Immigrant and Refugee Ministry, LifeWise StL, Welcome Neighbor, the Regional Response Team, and the Immigration Task Force of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. The shelter is located at the new Peter & Paul Community Services (PPCS) campus in North City, formerly the Little Sisters of the Poor facility.
The shelter provides 15 private rooms for immigrant and refugee families. PPCS offers essential services, including meals, 24-hour security, and beds. Coalition partners supply additional equipment, volunteers, case management, translation services, and fellowship. The coalition meets weekly to refine operations and ensure the shelter runs smoothly.
The shelter opened on Sept. 9 as a two-month pilot, funded by the Incarnate Word Foundation. Its goal is to offer immediate housing while assessing the broader need for emergency shelter for immigrants and refugees in St. Louis. The coalition is actively seeking additional funding to extend the project through the winter. Donations may be made via PayPal, or please contact us if you’re interested in making regular or larger contributions, or if you have any questions.
Funding Immigrant and Refugee-Serving Organizations
Over the year, the IWF has funded many organizations that directly serve our immigrant and refugee neighbors, some as their primary focus, others by circumstance of where they’re located and their capacity to take on new clients. These organizations include:
- Forai, Inc.
Provides training for immigrants and refugee women to create their own businesses and become self-sufficient - HumanKIND STL/Welcome Neighbor STL
Partners with refugee and immigrant families, connecting them with the people and opportunities that will empower them to build and live their best life in their new country - Immigrant and Refugee Ministry
A relational, welcoming ministry that strives to uphold the God-given worth and dignity of each person, with specific focus on our brothers and sisters who are immigrants, refugees, and those who lack a legal status- IWF was an early funder of this collaborative ministry of six Catholic parishes in South St. Louis City (St. Anthony of Padua, St. Cronan, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Pius V, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Stephen Protomartyr) that was founded by former School Sister of Notre Dame, Ruth Ehresman.
- Kindness Begins with Me
Connects refugee women and their families to each other and to the greater St. Louis community through classes and activities, including English classes, driving lessons, and women’s support groups. - Lolly’s Place
A literacy-based tutoring and enrichment program for children in the University City Public Schools and serves children at Our Lady of Guadalupe School in Ferguson. - Migrant and Immigrant Community Action Project
Committed to working with low-income immigrants to overcome barriers to justice, the MICA Project utilizes legal services, organizing, advocacy, and education to promote the voice and human dignity of immigrant communities - Our Lady of Guadalupe School
Catholic elementary school serving a largely Hispanic student body in North St. Louis County - Peter & Paul Community Services
Offers housing and individualized support services to people facing homelessness. - Revival School Saint Louis
Empowers refugee students to overcome obstacles and reach their God-given potential by fostering their creativity, by connecting them to resources, by giving them a stage to share their home culture, and by building a collaborative community - St. Cecilia School & Academy
Catholic elementary school serving a largely Hispanic student body in South St. Louis City - St. Francis Community Services
Walks with our vulnerable neighbors to create opportunities, to build resiliency and to advocate for justice - Vitendo4Africa
Welcomes, connects, and empowers healthier immigrant individuals and families through the provision of supports and services, and by coordinating resources