Since our founding in 1938, Selfhelp’s legacy has been to welcome immigrants, to make people feel at home, and to open our doors to those seeking a new beginning.
That mission remains as vital today as it was decades ago—and Ana’Lee Damaso’s story is proof.
“For my anxiety to be at the top, like a ten, to shoot all the way down, I would say my transition was not that hard.” It’s a pleasure to hear those words coming from Ana’Lee Damaso.
We welcomed Ana’Lee (or Lee as she’s known around Selfhelp), her husband, and two adorable young children to Selfhelp back in March. It was our goal to make them as comfortable as possible. Because that is the Selfhelp legacy.
Raclyn, our Director of Nursing, and one of Lee’s friends welcomed her at the airport. Our CEO, Mark Dubovick, gave Lee and her family a tour of the facility. And the rest of the team came together to prep the Damaso apartment.
“It was overwhelming, very warm,” Lee recalls about her first day here.
“They prepared everything. Not just the basics. They provided enough food that we didn’t have to go out for a few weeks. They even bought rice for us, and a rice cooker, because they knew we eat rice three times a day.”
“I always tell the kids that they are their Lolos and Lolas, which are grandpas and grandmothers,” Lee said. “Four months later, we’re one big happy family.”
The only hiccup Lee experienced moving here was the weather. She thought she was getting Springtime in Chicago, but she was welcomed by “negative temperatures” and the first snow she’d ever seen.
She remembers taking her son and daughter, five and three-years-old respectively, to the park in the middle of March. Lee was convinced everyone was thinking, “Do they not know it’s cold out?”
But the kids had a great time at Selfhelp. They made this place their own, really enjoying the fish and birds. Of course, their interactions with the residents are precious, too.
“I always tell the kids that they are their Lolos and Lolas, which are grandpas and grandmothers,” Lee said. “Four months later, we’re one big happy family.”
Move out day was at the end of June, and it was a bittersweet goodbye. We can’t wait for the Damaso family to make their own lives in their new home, but we’re going to miss them here.
Set against today’s challenging immigration climate, having the Damasos at Selfhelp these past months was a powerful reminder of why our founding mission remains so relevant.
We stand committed to what we’ve always done: welcoming immigrants, helping people find their community, and opening our doors so families can rebuild their lives.