Hopeprint ... A Refugee MOPS Group

Hopeprint was founded in the fall of 2010.  Each year about 1,000 refugees are re-settled here in Syracuse, NY after fleeing from their home to escape war, famine, and other hardships we just can’t imagine.  They come to our country with hope and desire to be a contributing member of our society.  Problem is there is nobody to show them the way. 

That is where Hopeprint steps in.  Since conception, we have weekly meetings at a home on the city’s Northside where a growing number of refugees come to share a meal, to study for their GED and learn English, to learn job readiness skills, driving skills, and many other valuable life skills we take for granted. 

Our Mission: Facilitate sustainable development of local resettled refugees and their communities in the areas of economy, health, leadership education and justice.

Our Vision: Self-sustained communities with contributing members of society defining the communities where partnership has taken place.

Our Values:

• Accessible, unified network of local community resources
• Equipped, self-sustainable communities and leaders
• Active partnership of self-sustained communities with developing communities

As a result of being a part of this organization I began to see the need for more outreach particularly to the women.  This is when my MOPS group was formed!  We started our MOPS group in the early spring of 2011 and have met through the summer, unlike other MOPS groups, to keep the momentum going and to keep these women engaged.  The goal of this particular MOPS group is to see that all the moms within this population encounter the resources to develop the ability to carry out basic life skills needed to be a woman and the best mom possible in this foreign land, the United States, they now must call home.  By building relationships and community, engaging in conversation and learning; my hope is they will see, feel, and come to know the love of Christ through this group while developing a sense of empowerment, feelings of self-worth and independence. 

We started with about 10 women and now have about 20-25 women each week come to the Hopeprint home.  Normal weeks they learn English but we have our MOPS group on the last Tuesday of every month.  When we tell them “this is the day we are kicking the men outside” they get very excited as they know it will be a special evening focused just on them! 

So far our focus during our time together has been teaching these women skills that we take for granted everyday.  Topics such as reading your child’s report card and communicating with your child’s teacher, the American kitchen and how to use appliances, American personal hygiene products and caring for yourself as a woman.  We are currently working on a 6 week curriculum to teach wellness with a focus on nutrition.  Remember most of these women have been in a refugee camp for many years living in a tent with rations of food and water.  Coming to the United States of America is a shock to say the least.  Especially if they arrive in the heart of our Syracuse winter!

If you would like to learn more about Hopeprint feel free to come by the house some Tuesday evening for a cup of tea, tasty food and meet some of these amazing women.  You can check out our website http://hopeprint.org/ and contact me anytime. 

Thanks and God bless all of our wonderful moms!

Julie Stady, Coordinator

jlstady@aol.com
315-415-0189