Courtesy: Welcome Neighbor STL
ST. LOUIS – Inside Meshuggah Café on Delmar Boulevard you'll find a conversation between friends Jessica Bueler and Mawda Altayan. It’s a conversation that sometimes needs a little help from Google Translate.
“My language, English, little,” said Altayan, a soft-spoken Syrian refugee whose native language is Arabic.
Altayan and her family left Syria to make a new life in the United States. When the family settled in Florissant, they were surrounded by people but still felt alone.
“The city different, the people different,” said Altayan.
Jessica Bueler, a St. Louis-area business owner, heard about tough times for refugees coming to St. Louis.
“I wanted to help however I could,” said Bueler.
She reached out to members of the Syrian community and used the Nextdoor app to get the effort started.
“And so, we started a toiletry drive the week before Thanksgiving,” said Bueler.
The drive was a hit, with thousands of items donated. The event led to the creation of a volunteer group Bueler named Welcome Neighbor STL.
“This went from a little grassroots effort to now having over 700 members,” said Bueler.
And delivering the items helped cultivate friendships like the one between Bueler and Altayan.
But Bueler wasn't done. She wanted a way to employ and empower refugee women. So, her volunteer group started organizing supper club events, where the refugee women cook food from their native countries and the proceeds from ticket sales go to their families.
“In what they would be doing working full-time they can make in just two or three events per month. And it gives them a way to connect with people and bring them together over food,” said Bueler.
“Is so fun and people there tell me food is delicious,” said Altayan. “I feel so excited for make another event. And I love it.”
For her work, Bueler was awarded a medal from Nextdoor, the neighborhood social networking app. She was also featured in an article in Real Simple magazine and her efforts were recognized by a resolution from the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.
Bueler and Altayan’s friendship seemed to be fate. And Altayan says her family's life wouldn't be the same without Bueler.
“I love Jessica,” she said, hugging her friend and wiping away tears.
Welcome Neighbor STL will host its next supper club on March 8th at the Blue Cat Club. You can find more information on the group's Facebook page.
