Since arriving in Chicago on April 30, Maria Goitia she said she’s been thankful for all the people who have crossed her path. There were some who fed her and her family, a group of eight including two young grandchildren, while others gave them coats to keep warm, and many more who had been there through their journey from Venezuela, one way or another.

“But we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s help; we’re extremely grateful for everything and everyone who’s helped us to get to this day,” the mother said.

On Tuesday morning, Goitia and her family met with Hope Vaughn, one of the people they first met when they arrived in Chicago, in one of the many buses sent from Texas with asylum-seekers. The family helped cook their first-ever Thanksgiving dinner, sharing it with other migrants and volunteers at St. Agatha Catholic Church in North Lawndale that evening.

Goitia’s family had never celebrated Thanksgiving before, and it was certainly not needed to express their gratitude, she said, but it made her happy and it gave her hope. She was especially grateful because, on Wednesday evening, Goitia and her family were finally moving into an apartment after living at the Inn of Chicago, one of the largest migrant shelters, for more than six months.

“This is the perfect time to give thanks to God for all the support we’ve gotten. We are grateful for people like Hope who has embraced us — for the city that has taken us in and is giving us the opportunity to progress as a family, as individuals,” said Goitia, who is 37.

Many other migrants gathered with Chicago residents and volunteers across the city this week to share a Thanksgiving meal. Some Chicago Bears players, including linebacker Dan Hardy and defensive end Khalid Kareem, helped to serve authentic Venezuelan food in four Salvation Army community centers across Chicago neighborhoods, including Humboldt Park, Little Village, North Park and the West Loop. Eliza Chappell Elementary School in Lincoln Square hosted its first Thanksgiving potluck Wednesday afternoon to welcome new families in the school.

Although new migrants are celebrating the holiday for the first time, finding significance in it comes easy. Like Goitia, most say they’re grateful for the opportunity to start a new life in the city. For the shelter that they have — even if the food isn’t great, some laugh. For the opportunity to enroll their kids in school. Some had never had a chance to attend class consistently until now.

Pablo Lopez and Marienny Brito found a community for their first Chicago Thanksgiving at a potluck hosted in a cafeteria at the Chappell School.

The couple from Venezuela traveled through more than seven countries before arriving in Texas, where they were flown by Catholic Charities from San Antonio to Chicago. Their two boys, Juan Pablo Lopez, 9, and Paul, 6, have attended the CPS school for more than a month. To get to school, they take the bus or walk from the shelter down the street, “whatever is easier,” Pablo Lopez said.

Conversations in English, Spanish and French flowed easily at Chappell Elementary on Wednesday afternoon. Dishes on the table of food ranged from fried chicken and stuffing to arepas and polvorosas, a type of Venezuelan cookie.

It was the first Thanksgiving many of the new students had attended, and most had never heard of the holiday before Wednesday’s potluck.

“There’s lots of things to do,” Duelande Emile, 10, said of her experience at the school. The fifth grader, who said she likes math, had not celebrated the holiday before.

The Lopez boys were at first enrolled in another school, but the daily commute, which required three buses, was taxing for the family. They requested to be switched to a different school and enrolled in Chappell, which has been “marvelous” for the family.

“We’ve heard of other families having bad experiences here, but we have had nothing but a good experience,” Brito said. “They opened up their doors to us.”

Across the district, CPS saw a nearly 11% increase in English language learners in the 2023-24 academic year in its 20th day of enrollment tally, though the increase in English language learners is not entirely because of recently arrived migrant families in Chicago.

The Lopez boys have settled into school, alongside dozens of other children in migrant families who attend Chappell. Juan Pablo said he enjoyed making friends at the school. For Paul, it’s the park nearby.

“We are just very grateful,” their mother said, as her children smiled at each other between swigs from their soda.

For the volunteers who have adopted a new life since they began stepping in to help the asylum-seekers when the city and state don’t have the resources, sharing the Thanksgiving meal with the migrants is a full circle: “They’ve helped me more than I’ve helped them,” Vaughn said.

Seeing the resilience and perseverance of migrants who have risked their lives to get to the United States has been inspiring and moving, Vaughn said. It has helped her to redefine her own life and to grow as a person, as she learns more about each of those she has encountered.

Most migrants arriving are seeking asylum, fleeing from Venezuela where they face extreme poverty, violence and no opportunity for progress.

“I’ve learned how important relationships are and just extending that hand and being the companion to walk with someone — and we don’t realize how impactful a single transaction can be,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn is a therapist and social worker at Lawndale Christian Health Center who serves pregnant migrant women in city-run shelters, but she also volunteers to help migrants living in police stations and elsewhere. She met Goitia and her family in April at the Harrison District (11th) station.

Most migrants call her Esperanza, which is her name in Spanish, meaning “hope.”

About a week ago, Vaughn decided to organize the dinner as a way to celebrate and show gratitude, she said. So she invited other volunteers to cook and asked the Rev. Larry Dowling if she could host it at St. Agatha.

Neighbors and migrants walked in together carrying the trays of food, three turkeys, rice, mac and cheese and more. The group set up the tables while children played on the side and waited for Father Larry to give grace.

The savory aroma of turkey filled the room and Vaughn smiled as she watched Goitia’s family serve themselves the food with excitement. They had spent the whole day cooking together with Esperanza, as they called her, and they were excited to try the turkey for the first time.

Jesus Montero, 12, Goitia’s younger son, gave a thumbs-up as soon as he had a spoonful of food. He smiled and kept eating.

For the first time in years, the feeling of uncertainty and anxiety was gone, said Goitia. The family was just grateful and excited to know that they would soon have a house where they all could live together: her husband, three children, her daughter’s husband and their two sons.

“Por fin veo la luz al final del camino,” said Goitia, meaning: “I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

The family left their native Venezuela about six years ago after they were forced to close their small family auto parts factory, prompted by threats and extortions. First they migrated to Colombia, where they attempted to create a home and find a sustainable job.

But the violence and poor-paying jobs persisted. So at the beginning of last year, they began their journey north with no money, the mother recalled. It took them about a year to reach the U.S. border. The mother told the story of how they crossed each border and how long they spend in each country, all the cities they traversed and how Chicago became their sanctuary.

“We decided that we couldn’t let our children go through the same thing again,” Goitia said.

For Vaughn, knowing the Goitia family makes her happy and gives her peace because she knows that they are safe. On Wednesday night, she helped them settle into their new apartment. For both Vaughn and Goitia, everything had been worth it.

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