Meet Betsy, a Heart of a Welcomer honoree
Throughout her life, Betsy Sole recognized the importance of openness and understanding across diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. As a result, Betsy and her husband opened their home to host international graduate students from nearby universities so their children could interact with people from around the world; they ultimately hosted students from 17 different countries.
Because of the way I grew up, and what I've done, [welcoming is] in my DNA… I just think this is how we should be. We have so much in common with each other.
Today, Betsy lives in Plymouth, Michigan, and is a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, where she has rallied the congregation to join her and the church in welcoming newcomers. They’ve applied for grants, connected with the local Rotary Club and other community organizations, and shared their story with the local news.
When her community faced a housing crisis in the midst of welcoming newcomers, she helped raise funds to renovate a vacant rectory at the church so they could offer the home to newly arrived refugees.
Through the renovation and resettlement process, she realized the church would need additional volunteers to help families settle into their new community. She was surprised to learn that people outside the church were eager to get involved, too.
“I’ve gotten to know so many people in the community, and that has been a gift for me,” Betsy shared. “We knew a lot of people, and they had a lot of skills.”
When the renovated home was complete, a Syrian refugee family moved in. The church offered a graduated lease, beginning with a few free months to help them get settled in their community.
Betsy empowered everyone to get involved with welcoming, even those who were skeptical of what they had to offer. Her message to everyone: “You’ll find you have so much in common.”
Retired teachers supported families within school enrollment, volunteers found English tutoring opportunities, and a local doctor helped coordinate medical care. Everyone in the community found their place in supporting newcomer families.
When the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) was paused in 2025, Betsy wasn’t deterred. She began working with Zaman International, supporting Afghan newcomers who arrived as Special Immigrant Visa holders.
Shortly after the Syrian family found a new home, an Afghan family of eight moved in, and again, Betsy and a group of volunteers used their expertise and enthusiasm to help the family reach their full potential.
The entire community has gone above and beyond to support them. The Michigan Philharmonic even donated tickets to the family to watch their recent Christmas symphony. And when Betsy visited the Middle Eastern grocery store that sells halal meat to purchase a gift card for the newcomer family, the owner told Betsy he always gives the mother of the family a special deal.
Although welcoming one family at a time can be a slower process, Betsy stays optimistic, knowing the impact her church is having on this family. She often thinks of a phrase shared by Samaritas, a nonprofit in Michigan: “Be the rock that starts the ripple.”
Betsy and her team of volunteers go above and beyond to support the newcomers they’ve welcomed, striving to empower them to reach their full potential.
The resettled families have big dreams for their lives in the U.S.: one of the young adults said they want to be a nurse, and the other aspires to be a lawyer. Both are currently pursuing those paths in college.
The mother of the Syrian family learned English and got her driver's license within her first year in the U.S. Her English is now so strong that she works as a substitute teacher’s assistant.
The opportunity to welcome enriches us as human beings, as people, and the whole community.
Betsy’s passion for welcoming has been passed down to her children who remain in touch with many of the students the family hosted.
Her children grew up playing basketball in the driveway with the Taiwanese graduate students, and they’ve stayed friends as adults. When one of the exchange students got married, Betsy’s children performed at their wedding.
Her lifelong commitment to welcoming is what earned Betsy the Heart of a Welcomer recognition. She exemplifies what it means to be a Welcomer, providing unwavering support to newcomers in her community and inspiring others to do the same.
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