Refugee and Immigration Services
Refugee and Immigration Services (RIS) resettles refugees and assists immigrants, empowering them to build new lives in a welcoming community. Through a cooperative agreement with the Department of State, RIS commits to resettling 120-200 refugees each year from dangerous situations in repressive or warring countries. Services include airport pickup, housing assistance (RIS pays deposits and furnishes appropriate housing for each refugee family), and provision of food, clothing, and other necessities. The program also provides an orientation in the newcomer’s native language, helps clients to secure a Social Security card, apply for Medicaid and food stamps, and obtain health screenings, and provides transportation and interpretation for medical visits. Staff members assess clients’ needs and provide case management and supportive services including assistance with school enrollment, employment assessment and job placement, and English instruction.
The school liaison project targets new arrivals as well as those here longer who have non-English speaking parents and are experiencing difficulties. School liaisons orient parents to the U.S. educational system and the opportunities provided by education. They bring the family to the school and assist with registration and placement. Parents are also taught to ask their children about the school day, make time for homework, examine book bags and look for notes. The program orients schools to the new students, facilitates parent-teacher interaction, and recruits, screens, trains and places tutors to reinforce the concepts learned in school and English comprehension. Children are enrolled in extra-curricular activities to increase interaction with American children. When needed, RIS advocates for students with academic or behavioral difficulties, requesting assessments for special education and helping to negotiate placement in special schools.
Refugee and Immigrant Services resettles refugees and assists immigrants, empowering them to build new lives in a welcoming community. Through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of State, RIS commits to resettling 100-170 refugees each year from dangerous situations in repressive or warring countries. Services include airport pickup, housing assistance (RIS pays deposits and furnishes appropriate housing for each refugee family), and provision of food, clothing, and other necessities. The program also provides an orientation in the newcomer’s native language, helps clients to secure a Social Security card, apply for Medicaid and food stamps, obtain health screenings and provides transportation and interpretation for medical visits. Staff members assess clients’ needs and provide case management and supportive services including assistance with school enrollment, employment assessment and job placement, and English instruction.
