International Rescue Committee (IRC)
NNIA is working with the IRC to identify refugee families in need of assistance. The IRC, started by Albert Einstein, resettles more refugees than any organization in the world.
Two recently resettled Afghan families living in PG County have been identified for journey (mentoring) support by one or more faith communities. Note that much of the Journey Support can be provided via the Internet (such as on Zoom) but some interaction in person with the new neighbors is desirable and extremely rewarding.
Find more information about these families at IRC – Family – 1 and IRC – Family – 2 . IRC requires training for individuals and organizations to volunteer and work with families. The next IRC training session will be held June 15, 2021 at 6: 30 pm via Zoom. Training lasts approximately 1 ½ hours. Note that there is a required $600 donation to IRC for each family that we provide Journey support to. If this is an issue, NNIA will find ways to support this donation for you. Please contact us to obtain the registration link.
To learn more about the IRC go to: https://www.rescue.org/
Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC)
ECDC serves the African immigrant and refugee community in the U.S. through a broad spectrum of local and national programs. These programs assist newcomers and improve their quality of life by helping them become productive individuals who give back to their community. On a national level, ECDC resettles refugees from around the world through a network of community-based affiliates and serves as a voice for African newcomers.
We have worked with ECDC as the Resettlement Agency to obtain our first formally sponsored family from Afghanistan. To learn more about ECDC go to https://www.ecdcus.org/.
Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
HIAS works around the world to protect refugees who have been forced to flee their homelands because of who they are, including ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities. For more than 130 years, HIAS has been helping refugees rebuild their lives in safety and dignity by providing vital services and advocating for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives. HIAS is helping resettle Afghan refugees and Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) as well as Afghan humanitarian parolees in the U.S.
We are working with HIAS as the Resettlement Agency for our second formally sponsored family from Afghanistan. To learn more about HIAS go to https://www.hias.org/what-we-do/afghan-crisis-response.
Vincentian Friends on the Periphery (VFP – Catholic Charities)
The Vincentian Friends on the Periphery team works primarily with recently resettled Hispanic families in Montgomery and PG Counties. Sr. Judith Rojas is the overall coordinator for this effort. Sr. Judith also serves on the NNIA Steering Committee. The emergency needs for her community are presented in the first section of this newsletter. The remainder of this section provides descriptions of Journey Support opportunities as determined by VFP.
Journey Support is requested for a young man named Elesio. He is an 18 – year – old from El Salvador in high school in PG County. He is alone and has applied for asylum and a work permit. He needs help finding long – term housing and financial assistance. He also needs to socially engage with others and learn how to live independently in the U.S.
A large extended Guatemalan family needs assistance with learning English, navigating the school system, and acclimating to living in the U.S. They are recently resettled and consist of the family matriarch along with two of her adult children and their spouses and children. T here are 12 people in this large extended family. We would like to have more than one faith community or set of individuals work with this family.
The first step in providing Journey Support to a family is to meet them, assess the needs the volunteers c an help them address and plan for providing this support. Please let us know if you are willing to be part of a team providing support to these families.
Little Friends for Peace
Little Friends for Peace (LFFP) partners with NNIA to provide tutoring to school – age refugees.
This nonprofit organization has the mission to counter violence and contribute to a worldwide culture of peace by sharing skills to prevent, resolve, and tran sform conflict with individuals, families, teams, and communities. LFFP spreads their vision of a world where relationships are built on respect and acceptance through peacebuilding.
LFFP holds Peace Camps, after – school, in – school, and adult peace progr ams in the metro Washington D.C. area.
Visit http://www.lffp.org/ for more information.
Solutions in Hometown Connections
Solutions in Hometown Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works with refugees and immigrants in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. to provide support through mentoring and tutoring programs. SHC provides English language and proficiency courses in a family friendly environment and assistan ce with a pathway to U.S. citizenship.
Visit https://www.shconnections.org/ for more information.
More Partners
- Working with
- ADW, Catholic Charities
- St. Camillus
- Holy Trinity DC
- MC Interfaith Advisory Council
- Coordinating with
- MC Interfaith Advisory Council
- Ethiopian Center DC
- Gilchrest Immigration Resource Center