Refugees arrive in the United States with very little, often only one small suitcase. To assist them transition into life in the United States, our multi-cultural, multi-lingual staff assists with case management, cultural orientation, English language training, and employment services.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as a person who has fled their homeland and is unable to return due to a well-founded fear of persecution. Since 1970 the world refugee population has increased over 500% and now numbers at over 22,000,000 worldwide. Nearly 75% of the world’s refugees are women and children. Only about 2% will be resettled in a new country and given the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
Refugees leave their home country taking only what they can carry. Because their politics, religion, race, or ethnicity, they will not be safe in their country. We help them with a smooth transition into life here in the United States, starting with finding and furnishing a home for the new arrivals, orientation about our culture, English language training, and employment services. Their goal is early self-sufficiency, and most of them achieve that within four months.
How to help
- Mentor a Refugee Family (or Individual)—Spend an hour or two a week befriending a family, orienting them to American culture and life in the community, and learning from each other.
- Employment Coach—Volunteers can act as a resource for clients during their job search. by assisting with job applications, creating a resume, rehearsing for job interviews, coaching on appropriate workplace skills and behaviors, or making contact with employers in the community.
