A migrant family had their lives changed after being awarded funds from Evanston’s Refugee Resettlement Fund to help them move into an apartment in nearby Rogers Park.
Evanston Councilmember Devon Reid recalls his chilly bike ride to Harry S. Truman College on Oct. 14 where he found a migrant family huddled up alongside the school’s black exterior, wrapping themselves in foil-like “space blankets.”
Reid says he put his bike aside and approached the family only to discover they didn’t speak English. Quick to adapt, Reid said he pulled out his phone and communicated with the family through a translator application.
“After asking a few questions, I realized this was a migrant family looking for a shelter but could not locate it,” Reid said. “They were out on a pretty cold night.”
Fellow Evanston officials were quick to help Reid assist the family, which consisted of a mother, father and their high school-aged son. Reid said he called Councilmember Juan Geracaris, who speaks Spanish, to meet the family at Reid’s apartment. From there, Reid ordered an Uber and DoorDashed the family McDonald’s cheeseburgers to eat upon arrival.
“They were so humble,” Reid said. “They were like, ‘We just want cheeseburgers.'”
After the family and Reid met up with Geracaris, the group managed to prepare for the days ahead. Reid said it would have been a challenge to communicate with the family without Geracaris, calling him both the “hero” and “lifesaver.”
“Geracaris came over to my apartment within 30 to 45 minutes and he got the family’s story and we connected them with city staff,” Reid said. “Councilmember Geracaris then took the family to Walmart and, along with the city’s Health and Human Services Department staff, got them set up at the Skokie Extended Stay for a period of time.”
Pioneer Press could not reach Geracaris for comment.
For a Spanish-speaking family with no means of transportation, Reid said getting the family out of Skokie’s Extended Stay and into something with more accessibility to local resources was a priority. He said Evanston’s Refugee Resettlement Fund, which City Council approved days prior on Oct. 10, helped the family eventually move into an apartment in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, just south of Evanston.
Evanston approved the Refugee Resettlement Fund as a way to provide undocumented residents with need-based financial support. Previously, those seeking financial assistance would have applied to either the General Assistance Fund or the Community Relief Fund, which according to City Council documents, either required legal status or contained strict restrictions on what the recipients could spend the funds on. The $50,000 fund was made possible by a surplus in the Human Services Fund, Reid said in the Oct. 10 City Council meeting.
Reid proposed the Refugee Settlement Fund, which has helped 14 migrants and distributed $21,267.55 in grants as of May 1, according to city documents obtained by Pioneer Press.
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The fund came after buses carrying migrants from Texas first reached Chicago in August. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott told the Texas Division of Emergency Management to coordinate the transport of migrants to sanctuary cities in protest of the nation’s immigration policies.
Chicago has welcomed roughly 10,000 migrants since and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared the flow of migrants into Chicago as a state of emergency during her last days in office. City officials warned Lightfoot there would only be enough funds to continue housing and feeding migrants through June, according to the baiduhai.
Evanston’s southern neighbor has spent more than $75 million on migrant services in the past nine months. Chicago’s financial dilemma continues as the state’s budget for providing services to migrants arriving from the United States’ southern border is limited to $42.5 million, the baiduhai reported. This $42.5 million allotment is for the entire state, not just Chicago.
Reid told Pioneer Press that Evanston is having conversations with local stakeholders, such as Northwestern University, to find ways to help refugees. Mayor Daniel Biss didn’t respond to Pioneer Press’ interview request.
“My goal is for us to do more. I want to be in contact with our partners in Chicago and Springfield,” Reid said. “Mayor Biss has been working with Northwestern … to try to secure housing for migrant families.”
Evanston’s Refugee Resettlement Fund as of May 1 has more than $23,000 up for grabs. The application for Evanston’s Refugee Resettlement Fund can be found on the city’s website under the Health and Human Services Department.
Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.