Local churches teaming up to feed international students

Churches and religious communities comprising multiple faiths are stepping up efforts to make international students feel welcome this summer.

International students working in the area under exchange visitor visas, also called J-1 visas, play an important role in the Cape Region economy during the summer. Usually, hundreds of J-1 students enter the local labor force as nonimmigrants in work- and study-based exchange programs. Hoping to make a good chunk of money during their time in the United States, the students are encouraged to enjoy the local culture and experience all the area has to offer.

Student dinners

Prior to the pandemic, one of the ways students were welcomed into the community was through dinners offered by local religious institutions. Drawing in as many as 350 students during the program’s peak, desserts by Seaside Jewish Community and dinners at Epworth United Methodist Church, Lutheran Church of Our Savior and St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church were part of the International Student Outreach Program. In addition to travel restrictions during COVID, a new system was established for work visas, greatly reducing the overall number of J-1 students in the Cape Region. Following an enrollment of more than 1,000 students in 2019, there were only 12 during lockdown-riddled 2020. ISOP has not operated since it shut down in 2021.

Epworth UMC and Seaside Jewish Community partner up on Tuesdays at Epworth to provide a variety of comforts to international students from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Seaside Jewish Community offers homemade desserts, while Epworth provides nutritious meals made from 100% donated food. Music by Chet Poslusny from Acoustic Waves ripples through the dining hall during the dinners. Following the meal, students are encouraged to grab a variety of sanitary products offered by the church.

Epworth also provides meals Sundays from 1 to 3 p.m. at its Food & Love Soup Kitchen. Through the food recovery program, led by Gerrie Boisjoy and Dottie Outland, not only are the dinners and meals made with donated food, but Epworth also opens its doors from noon to 2 p.m., Sundays; 10 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays; and 2 to 4 p.m., Thursdays, and allows the students to fill up a bag of groceries, dry goods and sanitary products. 

Lutheran Church of Our Savior’s dinners are from 3 to 8 p.m., Wednesdays. June 14 marked the first time students made an appearance at the dinner, which comprised sloppy joes, chopped salad, fresh fruit salad, iced tea and homemade desserts. Joining the students and learning more about where they came from was a group of adults participating in vacation Bible study. A look of joy could be found on the faces of volunteers and the Bible study group who were happy to lend a hand and learn more about Romania and Kazakhstan. Gail Dejmal, an organizer of the dinners and community leader, recalled hundreds of students in her church’s fellowship hall prior to the pandemic. 

Beginning Thursday, July 6, St. Edmond Roman Catholic Church will open its doors from 2 to 8 p.m. every Thursday through August. 

Bikes

Bicycles are the primary means of transportation for J-1 students. In an effort to support students, the Delaware Department of Transportation’s Bicycle Program provides students in need with a bicycle. Located at the Rehoboth Park and Ride, the bike barn houses hundreds of bikes. For now, all bikes have been claimed by students, but the program is hoping to receive donations and give out more bikes to students. Prior to receiving a bike, all students are required to take a bicycle safety class to demonstrate they can safely operate a bicycle. Bicycle repairs are free for all J-1 students, even if they are not riding a DelDOT bike. Repairs are made at the bike garage from 9 to 11 a.m., Mondays and Fridays, and from 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesdays. 

Bike safety checkpoints, performed by DelDOT, Sussex Cyclists, Delaware Bike Council and Delaware State Police, have been held at Epworth during the student dinners and allow biking advocates to make minor repairs, add safety equipment and speak to riders about operating safely on what have become some of the most dangerous roads in Delaware. Future checkpoints are planned for the final two Tuesdays in July.

Students, employers of students, landlords of students, or anyone wishing to donate bikes can find more information about bicycles and bicycle safety at deldot.gov/programs/bike/isop.

More information about the dinners is available on the calendars of the following websites: epworth.faith, lcosrehoboth.org, seasidejewishcommunity.com and stedmond.org. All dinners run through August.