February 19, 2015
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
By Jennifer Johnson Emmanuel House originally began as a simple effort to help a few Afghani refugees resettle near Aurora, IL. Rick and Hayley Meksi, in partnership with Community 4:12 and Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL, launched the organization in 2007 after realizing how difficult it was for these refugee families to “break into” the housing market. The concept expanded, and the ministry now helps families from a variety of backgrounds struggling with similar issues. “We realized there were a number of people caught in the cycle of generational poverty,” says Hayley. “A lack of stability in the family,





