Identity
The
Re:new Project (
Re:new) is a faith-based, Christian, nonprofit social organization that serves refugee women resettled in and around DuPage County, Illinois.
Re:new was founded in 2009 by a team of Christian women, for whom the mission of creating a space for refugee women to thrive represents a tangible way to serve refugees in response to biblical teachings to show God’s love to the widow, sojourner, and oppressed (Leviticus 19:33-34 ESV; Deuteronomy 10:18-19; Zechariah 7:9-10).
In partnership with local churches,
Re:new provides a space for community members to build relationships with refugee women, learn about the challenges refugees encounter in the resettlement process, and live out their faith and love for Jesus Christ by serving in the Artisan programs and services.
Mission Statement.
Guided by our faith in Jesus Christ,
Re:new creates a space for refugee women to thrive. We achieve this by partnering with local churches, businesses, and individuals who support our statement of faith and biblical values. We offer a range of vocational, religious, charitable, educational, development, and program activities that fulfill our mission of caring well for refugees so they can grow into all God has for them to be and realize their God-given potential.
Faith Statement.
As an organization,
Re:new affirms and places its trust in the central Christian belief that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord and that the Bible is the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative word of God and the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and conduct. (2 Tim 3:16, Hebrews 1:1-3 and John 1:1-14). Furthermore, we affirm and place our trust in the historic doctrines of the Christian faith as expressed in the Apostle’s Creed, which we use as a benchmark for our governing Board members, Executive Director, executive staff, interns and all employees (with the exception of refugee women served in our artisan care programs).
We recognize that we are called by God to be His representatives and His presence in the world we live in and communities we serve. As such, we integrate our community services and corporate practices around biblical standards and Christian principles. Furthermore, in both our professional and personal lives we choose to live according to biblical standards for Christian character and moral conduct. In doing so we seek to honor God and live His teachings.
Who We Serve.
The programs and services of
Re:new are available to all refugee women resettled in DuPage County and the surrounding geographic area. Our programs and services are provided without regard for the income, race, color, national origin, religion, or handicap of the participants.
The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as a person who has been forced to leave her country in order to escape war, persecution, or violence, or natural disaster. The journey of a refugee is wrought with pain, sorrow, and loss. The resettlement process is long and arduous. Adjusting to living in a new country is an isolating, confusing, and disorienting experience. Many of the women enrolled in our programs carry heavy emotional burdens, physical scars, and struggle to rebuild every area of their lives as they learn a new language and customs.
In providing training, employment, and community in a safe, nurturing, and encouraging space for refugee women, we foster an environment in which refugee women begin to heal from past trauma, reconnect to dreams for their future, and assist in connecting them to local resources that will enable them to build a successful life in the United States.
Guided by our faith in Jesus Christ, we believe it is through the work of the Holy Spirit that our staff, volunteers, and program members realize the gift of grace, restoration, healing, and reconciliation. We are committed to providing programs and services that enable all participants of our organization’s functions to thrive and flourish into all that God intends them to be.
Re:new Project