Where St. Louis’ immigrants can find resettlement help and international markets
Foreign-born people make up just over 5%, or about 130,500 residents, of the St. Louis region's population, according to the 2020 census. Immigrants [...]
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From Syria to Saint Louis: Refugees Give Back By Feeding the Homeless
03:47 | 08.05.20 | NR | CC
As Syrian Refugees, Mawda Altayan and Rana Alayed have experienced hardship, uncertainty, and loss. But after arriving in St. Louis, they joined forces with a local named Jessica Bueler to help give back to their new city. Each week, their group Welcome Neighbor STL provides hot meals to the homeless, and hosts a supper club to foster a spirit of community and raise money for those in need. Filmed in February 2020 in partnership with @nextdoor.
Welcome Neighbor STL provides comprehensive help to refugees in the St. Louis region. The organization led by Jessica Bueler has a philosophy of “leaving the ladder down” to help those in need.
Hover over or click the logo to learn more about the recognition received.
Women of Achievement Award – February 2019
Real Simple Great Neighbor Award – March 2018
2017 Nextdoor Hero Award – Feb. 2018
Resolution from the City of St. Louis – Jan. 2018
Syrian American Medical Society Achievement Award – Nov. 2017
Gateway Globe Awards – Nov. 2018
Embracing Different Cultures Nomination Award – April 15, 2019
Foreign-born people make up just over 5%, or about 130,500 residents, of the St. Louis region's population, according to the 2020 census. Immigrants [...]
“My husband and I fled Syria in 2013 because of the war, and in 2016, we sought refuge in America. Our life here was not easy at first, but with the help [...]
“The passion [Welcome Neighbor STL] has for their families … the dedication and compassion really touched my heart,” Ibrahim said.
Welcome Neighbor STL is hosting an Afghan Drive-Thru event at STL Foodworks (408 North Sarah Street). Guests can purchase a six-course Afghan lunch that [...]
Ann Wittman with Farid Wardak, an Afghan immigrant, in front of the house that the Wittman's purchased for the Wardak family in the St. Louis suburb of Affton.
St. Louis is rolling out the welcome mat for immigrants and refugees from Afghanistan. Welcome Neighbor St. Louis is one of the many agencies that is [...]
"Our home was bombed within a one-mile radius and it's okay, it was not destroyed but we were bombed," Julia shared.
Sandy Timpe poured a glass of wine for an attendee at the Women at the Well Syrian Supper Club event at St. Gabriel Parish July 19.
ST. LOUIS — People all over the area are trying to give a helping hand to flood victims.
Cousins Ann Wittman, of Holy Infant Parish in Ballwin, and Delia Andrews, of Ste. Genevieve du Bois Parish in Warson Woods, met the family in mid-November [...]
The incoming class of 22 Hello Neighbor Network Fellows, across 14 states, will participate in a 10-month intensive leadership program in the interest of [...]
Madeleine Grucza, Welcome Neighbor STL’s family support coordinator, said that she sees the outside organizations as key partners in the resettlement process.
When Jessica Bueler set out to help a group of Syrian refugees with a post on NextDoor, a social network app that helps neighbors stay connected, she had [...]
As soon as we heard about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, we reached out to Andisha to find out how she was doing and if her family needed [...]
The organization that has now raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for refugees in the St. Louis area, and helped connect them with the community along [...]
Welcome Neighbor STL is a community group supporting immigrants and refugees who are forging new paths in St. Louis, Missouri.
In celebration of World Refugee Day, the organization will host an eight-course Syrian and Moroccan drive-thru dinner fundraiser, showcasing the [...]
"I love my job because it makes me closer to people," says Altayan.
Did you miss the Virtual Mayoral Candidate Forum with Tishaura O. Jones and Cara Spencer for Mayor of St. Louis City, sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha [...]
START Inc is a non-profit charity organization founded by two teens at St. Louis Priory School—Adam Saleh and Luke Braby—to assist refugees living in the [...]
COVID-19 has put a pause on many things, but one St. Louis organization has been able to keep its mission alive despite the pandemic.
Story By Cheryl Baehr | Welcome Neighbor STL's drive-thru supper clubs are a lifeline for refugees.
09/28/2020 | KSDK National Neighbor Day Segment - featuring the Welcome Neighbor STL Drive-Thru Supper Club Events
The Supper Club dinners have done just that. To date, there have been 78 dinners held throughout St. Louis City and County, raising $121,000. One hundred [...]
Our families have done a fantastic job at finding steady work and to be able to become self-sufficient. Two of our refugee families have even purchased [...]
“This venture will turn our refugee and immigrant classroom space into an emergency warming center for the homeless on Saturday nights,”
Welcome Neighbor STL functions as a community group that supports immigrants and refugees as they begin a new life in St. Louis. According to the founder [...]
Welcome Neighbor is a community group that supports immigrants and refugees as they begin a new life in St. Louis. It hosts a regular supper club where [...]
Two Webster students, Neha Purswaney and Addi Rios began volunteering for Welcome Neighbor STL after professor Lindsey Kingston introduced them to the [...]
In the dark, intimate, black and gold dining room at The W Karaoke Lounge in University City, Missouri, I saw my entire childhood in Palestine spread out [...]
Business alumna Jessica Bueler (second from left) founded the nonprofit Welcome Neighbor STL in 2016 to improve the lives of refugees settling in St. [...]
“When I was 8 years old, my mother walked out on our family and left me and my three little sisters to be raised by my father,” Bueler says. “I promised [...]
Imagine you’re a refugee. You have fled your home country because of civil war or danger or poverty. You end up in a new country, but you don’t speak the [...]
St. Louis’ longest-running program awarding area women for their volunteerism will recognize the class of 2019 during its 64th-annual awards on May 14.
For our 2018 Embracing Different Cultures Nomination, we have selected the founder of Welcome Neighbor STL, Jessica Bueler.
Mawda Altayan didn’t know how to cook when she first got married, but she always took notes while her mother-in-law made her favorite meals.
"By creating our own events in our own community, where we have a safe place to get together, mourn and heal together, it's a tremendous thing to do together."
The group’s next public event will be held this Sat., Feb. 23, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Ballwin from 6 to 8pm;
Yahoo! Finance's Melody Hahm spoke with Jessica Bueler about how the organization Welcome Neighbor STL grew from a single Nextdoor post into a volunteer [...]
The city’s growing Muslim community has been joined, since 2014, by close to 70 Syrian refugee families. I have met a few of them through Welcome Neighbor STL.
Cooking classes led by immigrants and refugees are emerging all over the U.S., in cities large and small, from the League of Kitchens in New York City and [...]
Dr. Pradip Das presented the Das Family Foundation Gateway Globe Award for Entrepreneurship to Jessica Bueler, founder of Welcome Neighbor STL.
We want to let Missourians know about the Middle East, culture, food, everything. The other thing is I’m a big fan of the refugees.
FOX2Now - The Middle Eastern Cultural Festival is coming up soon and you don't want to miss out on this! Not only can you partake in some fun activities [...]
How our region’s becoming more global, equitable, creative, philanthropic, and livable
The organization's Supper Club is just one way in which it's helping local refugees.
Welcome Neighbor STL provides an array of help to Syrians. When Lina Almuallem fled war-torn Syria in 2012 with her husband and three children she knew no [...]
Asked to give a review of her meal, Lori Korn gushed in her praise. The baba ghanoush — a dish of mashed, cooked eggplant — “excellent, very smoky and [...]
New refugee neighbors prepared traditional syrian foods, letting others get a glimpse at their culture.
At the dinner to benefit Syrian refugees, there aren't enough seats for the Syrians. The room at the Boo Cat Club is packed, and Jessica Bueler is flitting [...]
Guests savor ethnic food while helping refugees, thanks to Welcome Neighbor STL Alahmad told her life's story in front of the 120 or so people at the [...]
This morning we would like to share a very special story here. It is quite inspiring. One of a St. Louis woman who has garnered national attention here for [...]
Jessica Bueler is one of only six people in the U.S. to win the National Great Neighbor Award.
We recognized Jessica Bueler & Welcome Neighbor STL for all of the work they have done for Syrian Refugees in St. Louis. It all started with a post on Nextdoor.
Welcome Neighbor STL hosts recurring dinners in which refugee families provide home-cooked food and proceeds benefit the family.
Nextdoor is an social network that connects neighbors, neighborhoods and government. St. Louis is celebrating 4 years of existence on the platform and [...]
On November 1, 2016, four Syrian refugees were beaten outside of their home in the north side of St. Louis. The boys, who ranged from 13-15 years of age, [...]
A series of short LGBT plays called “Briefs” will be playing this weekend at the Zack Performing Arts Center on Locust Street. Some of the proceeds from [...]
Over the past three weeks, St. Louis Nextdoor member Jessica Bueler has witnessed the power of community in an incredible way. What started out as a single [...]
Volunteers are now reaching out to Syrian refugees who now call St. Louis home. Today they dropped off more than $1,000 worth of toiletries to refugee families.
Welcome Neighbor STL is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Welcome Neighbor STL/START Office Address
4170 Delor St., St. Louis, MO 63116