Newly arriving refugees always need blankets and CFNA is always running out of them. Recently St. John Lutheran Church, New Minden, IL stepped up in a big way, demonstrating that you don’t have to live nearby to help New Americans in urban St. Louis!

“My name is Paige Bernau, and am excited to serve as the new CFNA Health and Wellness Coordinator: helping to coordinate the monthly Health and Wellness Clinics and working with the CFNA team to connect clients with healthcare services in the greater St. Louis area as needed.”

St. Louis School of Nursing students are becoming more and more engaged with CFNA! Indeed, a key partnership with students from the SLU Trudy Busch School of Nursing has become an integral part of CFNA’s monthly health and wellness clinic. Since the partnership began in 2021, CFNA has served as a clinical site for nursing students, and was borne out of a mutual desire to serve the needs of the local community, especially New Americans.

The Christian Friends of New Americans ESL program has never seen a greater impact than it has in the past few years. CFNA has been able to expand the traditional ESL program through key partnerships into a robust driving program that includes classroom instruction and on-the-road training, even establishing a car grant program, allowing newly arrived refugees to purchase a car once they have passed their driving test.

Currently leading CFNA’s African Youth Ministry, Pastor Mike Okine is this year’s Volunteer of the Month. With 30 participants, the Ministry offers Sunday Bible studies attended by people from Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. His wife Joan has also volunteered with CFNA over the years in the health and wellness screening program. 

CFNA’s newly launched Employment Support Program is showing results for some of our New Friends who have registered with the program. Philibs Ali from Sudan and Zaryalai Nawabi from Afghanistan each began new jobs in the last eight weeks, showing the fruit born from this important program!

CFNA is stepping forward to meet the growing needs facing refugees and immigrants! We seek to expand our impact for years to come, and secure the long-term financial future of the ministry. To fuel this vision, the Board of Directors of CFNA has established the Christian Friends of New Americans Endowment Fund.

A special partnership has emerged to engage a growing number of volunteers to help move beds, tables, chairs, microwaves, washing machines, dryers, and more provided by generous donors for the benefit of New American families. More than 200 household items from more than 40 donors have now been delivered to 25 recently arrived refugee families!

During the past 12 months, several program changes were introduced along with the addition of a new staff member, Debbie McBride, who now oversees the entire driving program. This, plus the addition of a Driver’s Ed vehicle, has increased participation to the extent that we had to modify the schedule to accommodate all the students! 

The staff at CFNA make mission their vocation. Kerry Pozaric is a shining example of an associate dedicated to their work for Jesus. As CFNA Business Manager, she is responsible for accounting, payroll, database, fundraisers, and more.

We are currently seeking the following in-kind items: toilet bowl liquid cleaner, paper towels, size 4 baby diapers, eating utensils, tea/coffee cups, plates/saucers, tissues 100+ct, tampons 36ct, 13 gal & 36/39 gal trash bags, quilts made for beds/couches. shampoo and conditioner-family size, disinfectant wipes, and adult/children's gloves. Preowned teacups, utensils, plates/saucers, quilts, and gloves are welcome!

The 5th Annual CFNA, “Christmas Give Away” consisting of winter clothing, house-use items and more was held at the Peace Center during the 14th – 16th of December.  The beneficiaries were the numerous refugee and immigrant families living in St. Louis. This special event also included Christmas music, cookies and hot chocolate, and this year saw the highest number of New American participants ever. 

The Annual CFNA Christmas Party, which welcomed approximately 40 refugee children from Nepal, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, and Sudan were joined by 25 volunteers from several host congregations. Between the preparations, the dinner, special desserts, fun times, and a sharing of the Christmas Story, this special event was a special time in the lives of the many participants!

CFNA volunteers truly work as hands and feet of the body of Christ. They sacrifice their time and energy and use their experience and talents to help make disciples of all nations. Jen Janssen is one shining example of such a volunteer. For the past eight years, she has served as a teacher in our After School Tutoring program, along with her two children Ben and Addie. She now serves as a role model for other volunteers.

The weekend before Thanksgiving, hundreds of men and boys from Concordia Lutheran Church put together and distribute these meals to families in need. Anyone is welcome to drive through to pick up a Thanksgiving dinner. The only question they are asked when they pick up the meal is "What can I pray for with you? Recipients have been people from the greater Kirkwood, community and beyond, including dozens of immigrant and refugee families!

Christian Friends of New Americans (CFNA) is adding to its already robust suite of services for its New American friends! The new Employment Support Program will work with participants seeking jobs in a number of ways, including assistance with resume writing, interview skills and identification of available jobs.