In case you havenโt noticed, Charlotte is home to some of the mildest weather in the country. That means fresh produce is (almost) always in season. Come on down to our HQ on Willard Farrow Drive, park your car, and take your pick of free fresh fruits, vegetables, dried goods, and more. Your recipes will thank you.
Helpful tip:
Bring a reusable bag (or three) and your Program Participant card.
One of the things that unites all people, all cultures, is our innate desire for human connection. Fruitful Friends is designed to match program participants with community members and families so they can put a friendly face to the place, experience Charlotte like a local, and forge a meaningful relationship in their new home. Interested in becoming a Fruitful Friend? Great! Just complete the Volunteer application and attend a required Refugee 101 Workshop. Whether you have only a few hours a month to give or multiple days a week, RSS needs welcoming volunteers.
Helpful tip:
For your first Fruitful Friend get-together, try and plan a meal or activity that is unique to you. Authenticity is key.
Youโre never too old or too cool to learn new things or make new friends. Our Love & Learn program is proof. Love & Learn is a pre-school enrichment program where both children and parents are provided a safe and structured environment to build literacy skills, create art, socialize, and ultimately learn from one another. Snacks will likely be served (but you didnโt hear it from us).
Helpful tip:
Come with an open mind and a hunger for knowledge. Weโll provide everything else.
Sometimes the best way to strengthen the fabric of a community is to knit it. Literally. Our Knit Together Group (KTG) is a holistic program for women that meets weekly to knit beautiful works of art while focusing on income opportunities, language practice, workforce development skills, and community connections. Want in on the knitting or for KTG to sell at your market? Get in touch and letโs talk!
Helpful tip:
If youโre on Instagram, follow @ktgrss immediately to see the latest creations from our Knit Together Group. Itโs a thread worth pulling. Trust us.
Helpful tip:
If you need to leave a voicemail, be sure to do so in English. Otherwise, send us a text in your native language and we can translate your message.Insta Highlights
Follow along @welcome.to.rss for all things RSS and @ktgrss to see the latest from our popular Knit Together Group!
Three cheers for the @wedgewoodclt International Holiday Bazaar! ๐๐๐
What an amazing day! We are so thankful to Wedgewood Social Justice Community and all those who came out to support our programs here @welcome.to.rss as well as our local refugee and immigrant community. There were so many talented vendors, delicious food, great music, and good vibes. A great time was had by all, and it was so wonderful to be part of such a special day.
Be sure to check out and follow these amazing vendors!
@nadasink
@elesq
@alisteele89
@marina.fascinate.studio
@spice_and_sugar_cookies
@charlotteforukraine1
@papercraftingwithamanda
@intlhouseclt
Pillows by Ashanti Munir
Moravian Stars by Thomas Hanson
Want to support our Knit Together Group but werenโt able to make it to the Bazaar? Itโs not too late! Weโll be at the following Shop for Good events this weekend!
Covenant Alternative Gift Market
Sunday, December 8th, 9am-1pm
Covenant Presbyterian Church
1000 East Morehead Street, Charlotte, NC 28204
@covenantpresbyclt
Providence Day School Winter Market
Sunday, December 8th, 2-4:30pm
Providence Day School; Brinkley Dining Hall
5800 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270
@providencedayschool
Thank you for helping us make Charlotte a more welcoming and inclusive place for all. โค๏ธ๐๐ค
#welcomerefugees #refugeeswelcome #supportrefugees #supportrefugeewomen #supportwomen #supportwomeninbusiness #supportwomenartists #supportimmigrants #supportlocal #supportlocalbusiness #supportlocalartists #shopsmall #shoplocal #supportsmallbusiness #givingtuesday #shopforgood #thankyou #beautyindiversity #strengthindiversity #womenaroundtheworld #charlotte #charlottenc #clt #queencity #allarewelcome #allarewelcomehere #bethechange
Itโs shopping time!! ๐๏ธ๐ Join us tomorrow (Sunday, Dec. 1) for the @wedgewoodclt International Holiday Bazaar! This event has been featured in a great article by @queencitynerve โlink in bio!
We will have our warm, cozy, and oh so cute Knit Together Group items, and there will be many other vendors from our local international community as well. Proceeds from this event support the international vendors directly, as well as our programs here @welcome.to.rss ! So come on out for a great time, all while supporting a great cause!
International Holiday Bazaar
By Wedgewood: A Social Justice Community
Sunday, December 1, 12-4pm
Refugee Support Services
3925 Willard Farrow Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215
#shopforgood #shopsmall #shoplocal #clt #charlotte #charlottenc #beautyindiversity #supportrefugees #supportrefugeewomen #supportsmallbusiness #allarewelcome #allarewelcomehere
On this day of Thanksgiving, we want to express how grateful we are to all the amazing people who have contributed to making our Knit Together Group here at Refugee Support Services possible. To our volunteers, donors, staff, mentors, community partners, and all of you out there who have shown us your love and support, we thank you. We truly could not do what we do without you!! โค๏ธ๐งถโค๏ธ
@welcome.to.rss
#thankful #supportrefugees #grateful
We had a wonderful time together at our KTG Thanksgiving potluck! We shared delicious food and friendship, and are so thankful to members of @sjbccharlotte and the Wool Whisperers Knitting Group for helping make this day so lovely.
No matter what is going on in the world around us, we are always thankful to be able to share, love, and grow together. โค๏ธ๐๐ค
@welcome.to.rss
#welcomerefugees #refugeeswelcome #thankful #beautyindiversity #strenthindiversity #womenaroundtheworld
Weโve been having lots of fun in Knit Together Group this fall! Since many people enjoy visiting local farms in autumn here in America, we decided to do a little barn dancing! Contra dance is a form of American folk dancing with European origins. Similar to square dancing, it is a social dance that became popular throughout Appalachia and other regions. Dancing is a great way to learn and practice vocabularyโleft, right, forward, back, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8! And so much fun too!! ๐๐
@welcome.to.rss
#welcome #welcomerefugees #refugeeswelcome #refugeewomen #supportrefugees #supportrefugeewomen #womensupportingwomen #allarewelcome #allarewelcomehere #beautyindiversity #strengthindiversity #standwithrefugees #kindness #kindnessmatters #bekind #womenaroundtheworld #friendship #fallfun #autumn #dance #contradance #contradancing #culturalconnections
Come join us on December 1st at our @welcome.to.rss center for the third annual International Holiday Bazaar presented by @wedgewoodclt ! We will have all your must-have Knit Together Group items, and there will be many other local and international vendors as well. This will be a great opportunity to pick up some beautiful, unique, and meaningful gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. ๐๐งถ๐๏ธ๐๐
Sunday, Dec. 1, 12-4pm
3925 Willard Farrow Dr., Charlotte, NC 28215
Interested in being a vendor? Contact wedgewood.church@yahoo.com for more details. ๐
โI often say that I tell my story not because it is unique, but because it is the story of many girls. I think realizing that youโre not alone, that you are standing with millions of your sisters around the world is vital.โ
~Malala Yousafzai
Join us.
@welcome.to.rss
#supportrefugeewomen #supportrefugees #refugees #supportwomen #womensupportingwomen #welcome #welcomerefugees #allarewelcome #allarewelcomehere #beautyindiversity #strengthindiversity #standwithrefugees #standforpeace #standforequality #standforjustice #standforfreedom #standfordiversity #peace #equality #justice #freedom #diversity #kindness #bekind #kindnessmatters #womenaroundtheworld #bethechange