Community Impact 

First, on December 23, three buses from TX arrived in our area and rather than getting the migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees to the loading center in Chicago, the buses dropped off the migrants in the suburbs. 

Local municipalities rallied together to welcome, serve, and ensure safe travel to Chicago. There are Intentional efforts and bridges being made to try to sync our strategies between the city, non-profits and churches. 

Since then, Becoming has become a part of the proactive response to welcome and serve migrants. We have been collecting winter gear, kids kits, and hygiene kits. Becoming Is heading up the Kane & Kendall County Deployment Teams.

If you are Interested In being a part of the community dialogues around how to best welcome and serve migrants, contact Pr. Patrick. 

If you would like to make In-kind donations or be a part of the Deployment Teams, contact Pr. Patrick.

Second, on January 20, the city of Aurora closed its warming center. Once again, the community rose to the occasion. Becoming was a part of the community response. We got to work, collaborated and found ways to ensure every man, women and child had a safe place to find warm shelter.

Unfortunately, one of our beloved Aurora neighbors died as a result of the cold. His name was Gino. 

This past week, on Ash Wednesday, Becoming joined other pastors, community leaders and Gino's friends at the downtown Aurora homeless encampment.  We grieved Gino's loss. We remembered his name and his story. We proclaimed that we, as a collective community, would not let this happen again. Gino's death will not be In vain.