Mending Together

10/07/2026

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Major Sandra Pawar of the Salvation Army to our Board of Directors.

Pawar brings more than twenty years of experience serving and empowering diverse communities. Originally from Australia, she has lived and ministered in New Zealand, the United States, and the United Kingdom, bringing a valuable global perspective to her work. She joins the board with a deep commitment to advocating for people facing injustice and advancing holistic community transformation.

As a board member, Pawar will draw on her expertise in strategic leadership, community engagement, and fundraising to advance Mending Together’s mission and growth. We are grateful to have her on our team!

Visit www.mendingtogether.org/articles/board-updates-1 to read more about her appointment.

10/05/2026

Finland’s history of welcoming refugees stretches back to the 1970s. That story is still continuing in local communities, where people are building new lives and finding a sense of belonging.

Today, tensions involving Russia bring uncertainty closer to home. For the communities we serve, displacement may feel less distant—a possibility that could affect their own lives if tensions escalate further. We are adapting our programs to reflect this reality.

Our approach makes space for these concerns while keeping the experiences of people already displaced at the heart of the work. Your support will help us bring these programs to Finland, supporting local communities as they welcome and care for refugees in their contexts.

Visit https://givebutter.com/mending-together-finland to make a meaningful contribution today!

10/01/2026

Karsten recently joined us on a trip to Poland as we launched Table of Hope. As a volunteer, he saw the project take its first steps and met the people at the heart of it.

In his reflections, Karsten shares the moments that stayed with him and what it meant to be part of the trip with Mending Together.

Read his story and discover the experience through his eyes.

What’s it like to join Mending Together in the field as a volunteer? In this article, Karsten shares his personal experience on a recent trip to Poland, reflecting on the people he met, the moments that stayed with him, and what the trip meant to him.

09/15/2026

🍂 Fall Events 🍂

We’re excited to share our fall calendar of events for caregivers to slow down, connect, and care for their well-being with Mending Together! 🌿

👣 Reset Walks
📅 10/10, 10/24, 11/14
⏰ 9:00 a.m.
📍 Meeting locations will be posted in our stories and shared with registered participants the day before.
Bring your coffee, enjoy the crisp fall air, and let’s move together!

🫶 Mending/Info Sessions
📅 10/15, 11/18
⏰ 8:00 p.m. CT
💻 Registration is required to receive the session link.

🍽️ Table of Hope
📅 10/30
👥 Limited to 8 participants
💻 Registration is required, and spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Whether you want to walk, reflect, connect—or join us for all our events—there is always a place for you.

Scan the QR code or visit www.mendingtogether.org/events to sign up. We can’t wait to see you this fall! 🍁

09/08/2026

Hope is more than a momentary feeling.

Sometimes, it looks like the slow work of healing—choosing to stay present even when progress is difficult to see. Hope is the courage to lock in for the long haul because it is worth it!

Healing may be slow, but slow does not mean stagnant.

Save this for the days when progress feels invisible.
Share it with someone who needs the reminder. ❤️

Sponsor a Table of Hope gathering and make a lasting impact in the lives of those who care for refugees. Visit www.mendingtogether.org/hope to learn more about Table of Hope and how you can join in the work.

09/01/2026

Caregivers understand how the work actually happens

Caregivers in refugee work are often closest to the everyday realities of care. They see where processes create delays, where people fall through the gaps, and where small changes could make support more responsive and effective.

A tangible care practice: ask caregivers what would make the biggest difference—and listen before offering an opinion.

Ask questions like:
• What is making care harder right now?
• What takes more time than it should?
• What would make this process easier?
• What have you already tried that works?
• What do you wish others understood about this work?

Listening to caregivers means valuing their experience as a form of knowledge. It means taking their ideas seriously and including them in decisions that affect how care is provided.

08/27/2026

REFORMING CARE 🫶
Part 2 — Rest is part of the work.

Rest is not separate from good care. It helps caregivers remain present, thoughtful, and compassionate over time.

A tangible care practice: protect short periods of recovery throughout the workday.

Use that time to:
• step away from your screen or workspace
• eat or drink without continuing to work
• take a short walk or stretch
• sit somewhere quiet
• transition between emotionally intense tasks
• notice what you need before continuing

Rest does not need to be earned by reaching exhaustion. And it should not depend solely on an individual caregiver finding the courage to step away.

Reforming care means seeing rest as one of the conditions that makes good work possible—because sustainable care requires caregivers who have the space to recover, return, and continue.

08/25/2026

REFORMING CARE 🫶
Part 1 — Caregiver wellbeing is part of the infrastructure

Caregivers in refugee work regularly enter conversations involving loss, displacement, uncertainty, and trauma. Too often, they are expected to move directly from one difficult interaction to the next.

A tangible care practice: protect ten minutes after an emotionally intense conversation.

Use that time to:
• drink water and take a few slow breaths
• step outside or move your body
• write down what needs follow-up
• name what you are carrying
• check in briefly with a trusted colleague
• decide whether you are ready for the next conversation

This is not therapy, and it does not replace professional support. It is a small transition that helps caregivers avoid carrying one person’s pain immediately into another person’s care.

Reforming care means building support into the work from the very beginning—because the wellbeing of caregivers directly shapes the safety, consistency, and humanity of the care they provide.

08/24/2026

🫶 Mending Sessions - Tree of Life

Sign up for a virtual session on Wednesday, September 2nd at 8pm. Join us in reflecting on the people, practices, strengths, and communities that support and sustain us through the Tree of Life framework.

Mending Sessions are a free resource we offer to those who care for refugees and other displaced individuals. Registration is required to receive the session link.

Register at www.mendingtogether.org/events today!

08/21/2026

Step outside. Slow down. Reset. 🌿

Join us tomorrow for a Reset Walk around beautiful Lake Harriet.

📍 Meet at Jones Coffee (2814 W 43rd St, Minneapolis)
🕘 Meet at 8:55 AM🚶

We’ll start walking promptly at 9:00 AM

Come as you are, get your coffee or beverage of choice, and start your weekend with fresh air, movement, and good company. See you there! ✨