As the daughter of Chinese refugees, Margie Chan deeply empathized with Chicago's newly arrived migrants when she saw them wearing little more than T-shirts and sandals despite chilly weather.
“My parents and brothers arrived in Chicago on New Year's Day in 1956. Just imagine it's 20 degrees with about 6 inches of snow on the ground, and my two older brothers look at my parents and go, ‘WTF. This is where we're living? Are you guys crazy?’ But we had my grandfathers here, these people usually have no one. That's why, if I have the opportunity to help, I should,” Chan said.
Over 51,000 asylum-seekers have arrived in Chicago since Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing migrants to sanctuary cities. To house the new arrivals, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot set up temporary shelters. By the end of the year, the seven remaining city-run shelters are expected to close their doors as the city merges its shelter systems for asylum-seekers and unhoused people into one network.
Motivated by the migrants and her parents' experiences as refugees from Taishan, Guangdong, fleeing Mao Tse-tung's control as a political leader under the Refugee Relief Act of 1953, Chan wanted to help. Chan, 68, of Rogers Park, launched 500 Hats for Refugees in September 2023, hoping to equip asylum-seekers for the Midwest winter.
Chan chose the name of her initiative as a play on words inspired by the Dr. Seuss book "The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins," a nod to her days as a children's librarian. In the book, the character Bartholomew Cubbins, like Chan, has a connection to hats.
The initiative provides handmade knitted hats made from acrylic yarn to refugees, migrants and those in need.
“I felt bad,” Chan said. “I’m sure these people had no expectations of coming to some place cold. Oftentimes I saw many of them in T-shirts and sandals in my neighborhood. I thought, 'Why not make some hats for them?'”
Knowing she couldn't knit thousands of hats alone, Chan joined online crafting groups and recruited her friends. Once she had rallied knitters and supporters, her mission to keep heads warm was ready to get going.
“This solely runs on donations and I provide everyone with the address to ship the hats. I get packages from all over: California, Texas, which I found interesting; Florida — oh my gosh, even packages from Canada and Hawaii,” Chan said.
Chan collaborates with Chicago Public Libraries, schools and universities to host “Hats & Hot Chocolate” events, where migrants can receive the hats for free. The first event took place on Nov. 7, 2023, at CPL's Edgewater branch. Chan also collaborates with other organizations such as nonprofit Operation Warm on the events.
Operation Warm is a national organization dedicated to serving children through community programs and resources. When partnering with Chan, the nonprofit often donates brand-new coats and shoes, helping to ensure children receive properly fitting winter wear.
"My whole thing was that as packages began to arrive, the size [of hats] became less important because there would always be a head to fit the hat," Chan said.
Christine Yusa, 78, a contributor, has donated three hats for Chan since she learned about her initiative.
Yusa felt impacted by Chan's efforts as she migrated from Caracas, Venezuela, to Chicago at the age of 12.
“We're on this planet for such a short time. We shouldn't make enemies; we should make friends. And if it takes a warm hat to make a friend, then that's what I will do,” Yusa said.
Former CPS principal Pamela Brandt, a friend of Chan's, said Chan's project has “given her a new lease on life.”
“All of this really invigorated Margie. Now there are hats everywhere at her home,” Brandt said.
Chan has collected over 3,000 hats and continues to receive more every day. She has two more events in December scheduled with Operation Warm at CPL's Little Village and Humboldt Park branches.
Chan views her service as a way to honor her parents and the opportunities she received in the U.S., including her education at Northwestern University and Columbia University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master's in library science, respectively.
“It’s my way of paying it forward,” Chan said. “My brothers and I had many opportunities in this country, and these refugees seek similar chances.”
500 Hats for Refugees continues to accept donations for hats and supplies. Contact them via email at 500hatsforrefugees@gmail.com.
“As long as there are heads that need to be covered, then I guess I will keep doing it until I can’t,” Chan said.
