Our hopes for 2023
“A welcoming community is one in which everyone thrives, belongs, and prospers. It features policies and practices to achieve equity and inclusion for migrants. It builds a positive culture that embraces diversity and fosters positive social and economic benefits that residents can count and feel. Welcoming communities depend on individuals, institutions, and systems that are inclusive. More than a momentary humanitarian response, welcoming is the long-term work of creating successful multiracial societies in which each resident belongs.” - Welcoming America
Tapestry Farms believes that in building the Quad Cities’ welcoming infrastructure with and for refugees and immigrants, our community will be better for all. As the QC continues to welcome more refugees in 2023, our hopes include the list below. It’s a bit policy-wonk, but with the photo above of two smiling Tapestry Farms kids (they are two amazing teens!) and some relatable language sprinkled about, our first hope is that you'll read all of the way through to understand our greatest hope of all.
Nourishment
Apples, oranges, and grapes - We love WIC! The federal Women, Infants, and Children program provides nutritious food and check-ins for qualifying pregnant and nursing moms, and children under the age of five. It provides breast-feeding support or formula, fresh produce, eggs, beans, and lots of other food. The challenge is that it is hard to shop for - the allowed food is very specific - especially if someone speaks languages other than English and is unfamiliar with grocery stores. Many in our community struggle with food insecurity - increased WIC utilization means decreased food insecurity and better health for kids and moms in our community. The Tapestry Farms WIC access initiative assists families long-term with shopping and appointments. We recently visited a beautiful WIC-specific grocery store in Chicago. We are exploring bringing this model to the QC, while working on increasing WIC utilization in other ways.
Intoryi, lenga-lenga, fufu, goat meat, and tilapia - When people have access to nutritious, familiar foods, they thrive. It’s that simple. Tapestry Farms grows culturally specific produce, and we will be increasing the amount of our harvest going to people with limited income in 2023. We also are working with systems in our community to bring change so that more familiar, healthy foods are available to all.
Warm and sunny - We are searching for a fully functioning greenhouse space to rent for the beginning of the growing season. The more starter plants we grow from seed, the less cost we have and the more nutritious food we can grow. We grew dozens and dozens of starter plants last year with one three-flat spot at the Vander Veer Botanical Center’s greenhouse, shuffling seedlings to a rack with grow lights in our founder’s basement and backyard once they sprouted. One particularly gracious founder’s husband became the person in charge of what felt like a bagillion seedlings last spring. Imagine what we could do with a bigger space.
Care
A civil surgeon (or three) - What in the world is a civil surgeon? Valid question! Refugees are required to apply for their green cards after one year in the United States. The Quad Cities does not currently have a physician who will complete the necessary medical paperwork for that application. The term used for this certification is civil surgeon. Right now, refugees must travel out of the area, and sometimes pay a particularly hefty fee, in order to finish this step.
An oral surgeon/dentist (or five) who accept all Iowa and Illinois Medicaid plans - Tooth pain is one of the worst types of pain. Dental providers who will perform extractions, root canals, and other more complex procedures for people who are on Iowa or Illinois Medicaid plans are difficult to find - the ones who accept any Medicaid plans are rare and glittery diamonds in the rough. To add complexity, the University of Iowa dental clinic is not taking patients at this time because they are so full, and the University of Illinois at Chicago is far away and it takes precise skill, exquisite timing, and laser-focused persistence to get an appointment. Gosh, we really miss the era when Medicaid wasn’t privatized and extraordinarily complicated. But that is the reality now, so we yearn for more providers willing to muddle through and the day when Iowa and Illinois Medicaid plans will provide a level of pay that will help ensure all providers, including oral surgeons/dentists, are adequately compensated.
Legal
Paperwork gurus - We once heard someone say: “Paperwork is the currency of America.” Indeed, it is true. Individuals who work for nonprofit organizations can be trained to complete immigration-related paperwork such as green card and citizenship applications for people with limited income. This initiative, through the Department of Justice, significantly increases the likelihood that applications are approved. Right now, the Quad Cities has three accredited organizations through the federal government - the Diocese of Davenport, the Esperanza Legal Assistance Center, and World Relief. Tapestry Farms hopes to become the fourth in 2023.
New ways
Hello! We’re so happy you’re here (and set up systemically to welcome you well) - Welcoming America's certified welcoming designation shows that a community is committed to immigrant inclusion in all areas of civic, social, and economic life. “Being welcoming is much more than being friendly, tolerant, or peaceful. We believe that truly welcoming places have intentional, inclusive policies, practices, and norms that enable all residents to live, thrive, and contribute fully — including immigrants.” We hope one of our local governments will express interest in achieving certification - and become the first in Iowa or Illinois to do so. Wouldn’t that be awesome?! The 2023 applications open May 1.
Finding home again, throughout the entire QC region - The record number of people forced to flee violence worldwide is prompting change in how refugees can find home again in the United States. Community sponsorship, including successful efforts in Kewanee, Illinois, and DeWitt, Iowa, show that when a group of caring and dedicated human beings band together, that communities of all sizes can welcome people seeking safety in a robust and meaningful way. This model, in addition to other models such as Every Campus a Refuge, give us hope that refugees can be welcomed well to the entire greater Quad City region. We know that newcomers who are connected with neighbors have more social capital and a significantly higher chance of thriving in the long run - that is our greatest hope of all.
Thank you for reading. We believe this work is important, and we are grateful to you for taking the time to learn more about what we can do better in the Quad Cities.
For more information, contact our executive director, Ann McGlynn, at 563-370-0004 or ann@tapestryfarms.org.
To give to support our 2023 work, visit our online donation page.