Phoenician Palms English School

Sometimes in the most ordinary of places, you can find the most extraordinary things. That's what it's like to walk into the Phoenician Palms Apartments.

Located in the West Valley, these faded pink condos look just about the same as every other complex in the neighborhood. However, what's on the inside makes Phoenician Palms unique. These apartments are home to many members of Phoenix's refugee population.

Mother-daughter real estate team, Georgia and Anna Sepic, own the property and work with local agencies and organizations to provided housing to the refugee families. If you walk into the main office on any given day, you step into an international hub. Anna is meeting with a Syrian client whose Iraqi neighbor is translating. A Congolese family sits on couches, quietly chatting in Swahili about their lease renewal. Burmese children run upstairs to the playroom to grab a book to read and play with toys. Families constantly go in and out, looking for Georgia and Anna, looking for their children, or just looking for friends. Currently, 8 different countries are represented in the complex, along with a variety of different ethnic groups and different languages. And this mixture of cultures creates the controlled chaos that gives Phoenician Palms an energy unlike any other apartment complex.

Along with assisting refugee families with housing, Georgia and Anna provide educational services and other resources that help families adapt to life in America. This includes tutoring and activities for children, clothing and furniture donations, job training workshops for adults, and so much more.

Another one of the services offered at Phoenician Palms is and English class, taught onsite by Gary De Velder, his wife, Cindy, and other volunteers. Gary is the Founder and Executive Director of Abounding Service, a nonprofit committed to empowering refugees through English classes.. He coordinates and hosts English classes for the Phoenician Palms refugee community. Students attend two classes a week, each lasting two hours. Each student deposits $20.00 for a Unit of Study (12 classes). A full refund is given for perfect attendance or one absence, half for two absences and none for three or more absences.

The English classes also provide each student with an "Encourager"; a tutor who provides personal relationship, accountability, and assistance to the refugees. These Encouragers work on a volunteer basis and are crucial to Abounding Service's mission.

For refugees, learning English is one of the most arduous challenges they face during resettlement. The language barrier presents itself everywhere for a refugee; searching for a job, trying to rent an apartment, going to the grocery store, or sending their children to school. The longer a refugee goes without learning English, the more problematic it becomes for them. These classes are providing refugees with the resources they need to overcome the language barrier and learn English, while also helping them build meaningful relationships and empowering them to achieve their dreams.

Abounding Services meets student where they are by literally hosting ESL classes right in their apartment complex. Students start at any level and get handcrafted curriculum designed to meet their needs and help them accomplish their goals. They can work at any pace and continually receive encouragement from Gary, Cindy, and the other Encouragers. Language skills are a crucial step for refugee resettlement, and Abounding Service and Phoenician Palms are providing essential resources that empower refugees to learn English and change their lives for the better. These classes are only a small piece of all the extraordinary things that take place in this ordinary apartment complex.

To learn more about Abounding Service and how to get involved check out their website and contact Gary De Velder at gary.develder@aboundingservice.org.