Engagment
Alex and his mom, Margo.
How Memories of His Mom Led Alex to Friends of Refugees
Ten years ago, ASF Member Alex Garcia and his family were suddenly in dire need of help. His beloved mother, Margo, suffered a massive stroke, which would require immediate and permanent assistance.
“She suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in her brain that left her in a vegetative state. I decided to sell my home in Midtown and move home to Alpharetta to take care of her. I realized quickly while trying to help her with multiple therapies, treatments and continue working that I would need professional help.”
Alex reached out to a handful of professional caregiving agencies. For one reason or another, none of the recommended caregiving services worked out. Entering into an unthinkable situation, he found assistance and more importantly true care in the most unlikely of places–a convenience store.
“As a last resort, a neighbor who knew my situation recommended a cashier who had recently helped her at a convenient store nearby. She described her as a sweet and helpful Ethiopian lady.” Because she was not a practicing, professional caregiver like all the ones he had interviewed, he didn’t think it would be a good fit. He said, “I was beyond hesitant. But we interviewed her and decided to move forward and give her a shot.”
The Ethiopian woman, Wubet, didn’t have licenses or certification, but during the interview, she explained she cared for her own grandfather as he grew old. Alex was convinced, “We realized we didn’t need licenses. We needed someone with a heart.”
Wubet instantly became part of the family, enduring the highs and lows alongside Alex and his wife Choyce.
“She ended up being the best caretaker we could ever ask for. She became part of our family literally and figuratively. When my mom passed away, she sat with us. She cried with us. She bawled with us,” Alex said. “She reminded me of my mom who raised me as a single parent. We gave her my mom’s life insurance to provide a college education for her kids.”
Four years ago, Alex and Choyce moved to Decatur, settling down in a home on Madison Avenue, the popular thoroughfare known for its annual Madison Avenue Soapbox Derby. Begun in 2011 as a community project organized by a group of neighbors, the Madison Ave Derby has helped many area nonprofits serving the needs of children. In its first 10 years, the event raised nearly $250K through local business sponsorships, participation by racers, and community giving.
With older neighbors giving way to those with younger children to get involved, the derby has grown and expanded. In his close proximity to the race, Alex found an opportunity to serve his community by joining with others to help organize the derby–and this year he also found a way to honor his mother and her caretaker. “Every year, months before the race, our group meets and picks 3-4 non-profits to consider. This year, I recommended Friends of Refugees; I wanted to give back to first-generation immigrants living in Clarkston. My experience made an incredible mark in my life.”
Friends of Refugees is one of All Souls Fellowship’s mission partners and carries the mission of empowering refugees through opportunities for well-being, education and employment. They intend to use the money they receive from the derby for their Refugee Family Literacy (RFL) program to support the mother and child education classes, serving over 250 children and their mothers through a joint-family literacy approach. This approach is especially important for refugee mothers and children who have once experienced trauma and are not ready to be separated at different sites. The RFL program empowers mothers to become their children’s best teachers by raising their own literacy levels at the same time that their children are learning.
This year’s Soapbox Derby, which occurred on Oct. 15th, is on track to raise over $40,000, the most in its history!
For ways you can become engaged with local partners like Friends of Refugees, email service@allsoulsfellowship.org