Showing Up, Staying Close: The Heart of Volunteer Accompaniment

It’s been a long morning.

A young mother sits in a clinic waiting room with her three children.

Her baby sleeps in a car seat.
Her three-year-old son climbs in and out of his chair, full of energy.
And on her lap, her six-year-old daughter sits very still—small shoulders tense, eyes watchful, close to tears. She’s been through more than most kids her age.

Her daughter is starting a long course of treatment for bacterial tuberculosis. The family doesn’t have a car or much money. Language barriers make every doctor’s visit more complicated.

But she isn’t there alone.

A volunteer sits beside the mother—helping to translate, keeping the younger kids occupied, and holding their hands through it all.

This is what accompaniment looks like.

You’re Not Alone

Every day, immigrant and refugee neighbors have appointments like this, which they cannot miss—at clinics, schools, passport offices, or government buildings.

Getting there is rarely simple. Many families don’t have their own transportation. There are new systems to navigate, long waits, unfamiliar processes, and difficulty communicating at every turn.

Accompaniment means showing up with someone—not to speak for them, but to walk alongside them, step by step.

Volunteers Who Keep Showing Up

For that young mother and her children, it was just beginning.

Over the next several months, volunteers kept showing up—driving them to clinic, visiting them at home, and spending time with the family. Over time, their appointments started to feel more familiar, a little less overwhelming. The six-year-old, shy at first, began to open up—smiling, playing with her siblings, even peeking into the hallway and drawing a smile from passing staff.

The kids were full of life, even in the middle of long days.

When volunteers learned the three children didn’t have beds of their own, they collected donations and delivered new beds to the family’s apartment. The kids immediately started bouncing, laughing, eager to show off the room where they slept and played. 

What began in a waiting room grew into something more: a community forming around a family.

Today, the six-year-old has finished her treatment and is doing great—healthy, confident, and excited to get back to school. Those volunteers who walked with them through those long months share in their joy.

“I’m Glad I Met a Friend”

One day, Annie Aeschbacher arrived for her volunteer shift, accompanying a family to an appointment.

As she waited, she noticed another couple sitting off to the side—quiet, nervous, and clearly struggling to communicate. They looked like they were bracing themselves to get through it alone.

Annie walked over and introduced herself in Spanish.

“I’m here with Immigrant & Refugee Ministry. This is what we do. If I can help with interpreting, just let me know.”

They said yes, gratefully. So Annie stayed with them, too.

She sat beside them in the waiting room. Helped interpret. Listened to their story. Mostly, she was just present with them in a moment that felt overwhelming.

When the appointment was over, the woman turned to Annie, full of relief, and said, 

“You are a Godsend.”

They tried to offer her money for helping them. Annie gently declined, as she and the other volunteers always do. 

“This is a free service,” she explained, “I’m just glad you’re here.”

But they still wanted to show gratitude. They insisted on cooking for her. 

So Annie came over for dinner. They welcomed her into their home and placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of her—a traditional Ecuadorian dish, with chicken on the bone and fresh vegetables.

Across the table, the family watched her with growing smiles as she savored every spoonful. In that moment, something had shifted. Annie had accompanied them as a volunteer—but now she was a guest in their home.

Welcomed, just as she had hoped they would feel welcomed here.

As they cleared the dishes, the woman told Annie,
“I was all alone here. I didn’t know anyone. I’m really glad I met a friend in you.”

“It Really Does Make a Difference”

Immigrant & Refugee Ministry is a grassroots effort built on welcome.

What began with one staff member starting from scratch, has grown into a community of more than 90 volunteers.

Together, they serve families from across the world—Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Afghanistan, Syria, Congo, Ukraine, and beyond—as they settle into their new homes in St. Louis, Missouri.

“At its heart, our mission is about connection,” shared Kevin Kuehl, program coordinator. “We build bridges across languages, cultures, and experiences—and help immigrants and refugees feel like they belong in our community.”

Volunteers sign up for opportunities to provide practical support for immigrant and refugee families.

Offering rides across town, sometimes an hour away.
Translating and taking notes for them.
Holding their hands in waiting rooms.
Taking kids to the botanical garden for the first time.
Forming friendships over a shared bowl of soup.

“Accompaniment volunteers approach these interactions wholeheartedly,” says Annie, who started as a volunteer herself and now serves as the ministry’s full-time Accompaniment Coordinator. “For as long as we’re with someone, we want to be present with them and support them. Sometimes that’s just a few hours, sometimes longer—trusting that no matter the amount of time, it really does make a difference.”

“I was very happy to be around such good and friendly people. They try really hard to make sure everything turns out okay. One volunteer was coming in from an hour away to accompany us. I feel supported. It makes me happy to know that people are using their time to help.”
— Immigrant Neighbor, Immigrant & Refugee Ministry

Learn more about Immigrant & Refugee Ministry, dedicated to assisting, accompanying, and welcoming new neighbors.

If you organize volunteers in your community, Unison makes it simple to bring people together and make a difference.