Announcement
By Sindbad Fennimore and Mari Verrecchia-DeLonde
Abbas Altamr and his wife fled war torn Syria and arrived in Jordan in 2010 but they did not know that their greatest journey was just beginning. They remained in Jordan for six years and had three children before it was time to go. Some of their friends had already left Jordan to move to the United States and Abbas was ready for his family to join them. They finished all of their resettlement paperwork and background checks. When they were in the final steps of the immigration process, Abbas told the interviewer that he wanted to move some place that would enable him to have a good job and a good life for his family. They sent him to Maryland, and in October 2016, he was welcomed at Baltimore- Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport by staff from the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Baltimore.
The first few months after arrival were a whirlwind. His caseworker, Hassan Akbari, helped him apply for a social security card, connected the family to healthcare providers, helped schedule necessary appointments, registered the children in Baltimore city schools, and provided general guidance on navigating their life in their new community. Abbas worked with his employment specialist, Mustafa Fadel, to get back to work so that he could provide for his family. Mustafa was able to connect Abbas with other Syrians working in the Holly Poultry warehouse. Considering he had limited English, connecting him to other Syrian refugees helped make Abbas and his family feel a part of the larger Syrian community and at home in Baltimore. As his English improved, he wanted to get back to work in construction and again sought help through the IRC’s Career Development program. His new employment specialist, Trieuvan Nguyen, assisted him in securing employment in construction, where his wages increased thirty percent. He was now on the road to financial stability and able to think about his family’s future. His wife was pregnant and would soon give birth to their fourth child. Their family was rapidly outgrowing their modest apartment.
Abbas was visiting the IRC office in Station North when he saw a flyer for the Homebuyer Program and called to learn more. He met with Sindbad Fennimore, the Homebuyer Program Coordinator, who assisted Abbas and his family throughout the home buying process. Abbas attended advanced financial literacy trainings and first-time homebuyer workshops through the program to learn all he needed to know about buying a home in the U.S. He learned about housing contracts, home inspections, title work, appraisals, the lending process, and so much more. It was always his dream to buy a home, without the support of the IRC’s Homebuyer Program, along with the down-payment match the program offered, he would not have been able to achieve this dream.
After successfully completing the workshops, Abbas was ready for the next step: actively looking for a new home. Sindbad connected Abbas to a realtor and they discussed their family needs--the number of bedrooms and bathrooms they would need, whether to pursue a single-family or townhouse--and then they started looking. They saw so many beautiful homes and toured 15 before they found “the one”; a five-bedroom, one bath home with a beautiful garden and plenty of parking for their two cars. The neighborhood was quiet and the neighbors friendly. It was close to good schools and within walking distance to shopping, grocery stores, and a gas station. They put in an offer and it was soon accepted. They were now under contract and one step closer to their dream.
After waiting for 60 days to close on the house and finalizing the paperwork, Abbas and his family are preparing to move into their new home and they could not be happier. Abbas is looking forward to the freedom they will have in their new home. They can listen to their music, the children can play, and they can live as they wish. The children are excited to play in their new yard when weather permits or down in their basement when it’s too cold or rainy. His wife is excited to improve her driving skills and attend the English classes that are only a short five-minute drive from their new home. Abbas and his wife are hopeful for what this new chapter will bring for them. They are excited to finally move into their dream home and look forward to raising their family in their new Baltimore community.