About Us

In late August 2022, the first bus of migrants and asylum seekers, mostly Venezuelans, arrived in Chicago. Since the arrival of the first migrant bus, the “Nuevos Vecinos” (New Neighbors) free store has clothed more than 7,000 of our new neighbors. It is the product of a grassroots effort started by Drs. Luisette Kraal from Iglesia La Vid (a Park Community Church plant) and the Refugee Community Connection Facebook group. We continue to clothe 100-200 new arrivals per week. Our free store is often the first opportunity for shoppers to replace the clothes and shoes that have served them for more than 4,000 miles. Recently, we moved to a more permanent location in the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA) building in Uptown.

The Nuevos Vecinos volunteer team’s support for new arrivals extends beyond the free store’s walls. Our goal is to provide stability and a community of support at a time when our new neighbors’ futures feel uncertain. Therefore, the scope of our work has expanded to provide food, transportation, and assistance with accessing housing, education, and medical care. Our new neighbors often show up at our doors having walked for miles, without any money for transportation or food.