What services are offered at World Relief's new Carol Stream offices

World Relief has moved from Wheaton to offices and a warehouse in Carol Stream. Here's an overview of some of its services:

Furniture donations: The warehouse collects donated furniture to help refugees who come with nothing and need "basically a whole household furnished relatively collectively," World Relief DuPage/Aurora Executive Director Susan Sperry said. It's a slightly smaller warehouse than the one in Wheaton and is stocked with chairs, lamps and other items. World Relief is seeking donations of items such as Walmart and gas gift cards as well as adult bikes and accessories.

Legal services: Counselors provide low-cost immigration assistance. Clients also can receive legal aid to navigate the naturalization process to obtain U.S. citizenship. "We help hundreds of people become citizens every year, and there are a large group of very committed volunteers who come to work alongside prospective citizens," Sperry said.

Mental health: Counselors run individual and family-based sessions for refugees who have survived trauma. "One aspect of our model is prevention and promoting good mental health. ... We offer what we call 'adjustment groups' that are typically very short in duration and help people either learn basic skills or create environments where individuals and families can learn from each other," Sperry said. Activities for seniors 60 and older are viewed as a community builder and social outlet. "That is a population that is very often isolated and very often struggles to adapt once they are here," she said.

Training: Early childhood case management and English as a Second Language classes are available. A specialized ESL class is geared toward clients seeking employment, focusing on general English skills and cultural and "soft" skills needed for the workplace. "Our goal is to help people get to a point where they have enough that they can get by more in the community but also have a motivation to go on to a community college or somewhere else and learn more," Education Director Karen Jealouse said. Daniel Peterson, an early employment specialist, focuses on career development. "Over the last two years, we've actively placed at about 200 different employers," he said.