The IAFR Blog

An Interview With Shanna

Q: In a few sentences, describe this fundraiser and the project behind it. How would you summarize your vision?

Shanna: We are in the middle of a $50k by end-of-May fundraising campaign for the summer launch of a two-year pilot program in our city designed to walk with people from renting to home ownership.

From segregation to integration...

Fort Morgan is a rural town of 12,000 that is majority non-white. 19% of the population is foreign-born, and over 27 languages are spoken. Segregation is most visible in housing. We want our neighbors to have the same opportunities for generational stability that we do.

We want our city to flourish as we move from a divided and segregated community toward an integrated one that honors our diversity.

Our vision is rooted in a desire to love our neighbors as ourselves and to seek the peace of our city as we join Christ's work of reconciling all things.

The Significance of Home

Q: What brought you to this point in the journey? Can you briefly share the story of this project and its development?

Shanna: In 2016, I was part of a community group that operated in four languages. As we did a community assessment, the resettled refugee community identified stable housing as the primary need.

In the next couple of years, as I was in seminary, I explored integral mission and hospitality in communal cultures. I often chose topics of study on housing, city planning, and the biblical significance of place for those who have experienced displacement.

It has been a long journey to this launch, and I am humbled by the dedication of so many along the way who have contributed skills, time, and prayerful discernment.

Focused on Survival

Resettled refugees make their way to Fort Morgan for employment at major agriculture employers. 95% of the Black/African American community, primarily from East Africa, rent, and the average stay in a rental unit is between five and ten years.

People who have experienced forced displacement have spent years focused on survival. Long-term planning is often not a priority in the face of immediate needs and labor-intensive work. This continues to be true for people who have family in their home countries who depend on their financial assistance for daily needs.

Want to help us bridge the gap?

Q: What is the end goal of the fundraiser, and how can people help you take the next steps to achieve it?

Shanna: Thanks to the generous support of donors, we have already raised $36k of the $50k needed to launch our pilot program. We are also eagerly awaiting responses on significant grant proposals that, if awarded, will enable us to launch the full program later this summer.

Your donations and support in spreading the word can help us bridge the remaining gap!

Pray with us for God's provision as we pursue His Kingdom in Fort Morgan.

DONATE today!

Or CLICK HERE to learn more!

Measuring Crisis - Mapping Response

"It was the day after the earthquake in our region," the pastor told us.

I was talking with local church leaders about how to help those displaced by the disaster, and I pulled out IAFR's Continuum of Response and asked if I could share it with them. It saved them a lot of pain and confusion as they responded to the crisis.

Unneeded Tents

"Several other groups brought in tents in an effort to help, but the tents weren't suitable for the local needs or the environment. Most people who had lost their homes moved in with other people in the area. The Continuum of Response helped them to slow down and evaluate what was helpful and necessary in their particular crisis context. It helped them to direct resources to maximize the benefits of the people being served. I share the Continuum with many churches and pastors serving displaced people around the Mediterranean. It's been such an important tool."

Prepared to Evacuate

"We've found it to be similarly useful in holistic decision-making," SJ, my colleague from France, agreed. She and I were teaching a workshop on IAFR's Continuum of Response at the Refugee Highway Partnership Roundtable.

"I was serving with Jonathan House in the Twin Cities during the crisis that followed George Floyd's murder in 2020. Our team had to decide whether to evacuate Jonathan House as the unrest neared our neighborhood. The Continuum of Response helped us realize that we needed to both ensure residents' security (red line) and consider their agency and emotional well-being (green line) in our response.

If we simply said, 'Things are not safe here; we need to leave,' that could retraumatize our forcibly displaced friends. We gathered everyone and explained what was happening in our cities, then asked whether or not people felt safe. We were prepared to evacuate if needed, but when we slowed down to listen, it was humbling to hear that because of both the physical shelter and the relationships of trust, people felt safest at Jonathan House." SJ shared.

When the War Started

"I wish we'd had access to this information two years ago," a Polish church leader involved in the Ukrainian crisis commented. "People were calling us and offering help when the war started, but we didn't feel like we knew what we were doing. We've just struggled through. But this tool helps make so much sense of how the crisis has unfolded and what response should look like in varying phases."

After the workshop, another colleague, Ilir, talked with the Polish man for several hours, offering support and encouragement as they explored the challenges of responding to a prolonged displacement crisis. I went away from our workshop encouraged and reminded that the training we provide helps make a difference for those serving on the front lines of displacement crises around the world.

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