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A Life of Opportunity
The stories in this newsletter all demonstrate the power of opportunity, of seizing the moment when it presents itself. In Lexington, Kentucky, refugees are realizing the opportunity represented by a new job. In Tucson, Arizona, an Episcopal school is extending the opportunity for a stellar education to a group of refugee students, and entire families are benefiting. And in communities around the United States, civic and economic leaders are finding that welcoming refugees and immigrants offers an opportunity for community prosperity that perhaps went unrecognized in the past. When you speak with refugees living in the U.S., they often refer to the United States as the Land of Opportunity – the country that gave them a new start. Together, we can work to keep that opportunity alive.
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Communities Embracing Refugees & Immigrants
Researchers and leaders in a number of cities around the country are speaking out about the multifaceted benefits refugees and immigrants have had on their communities in recent weeks.
A comprehensive study conducted in Cleveland, Ohio, revealed that refugee resettlement has been an economic and cultural boon to the city, stemming a loss of population and generating economic activity equivalent to $10 for every $1 spent serving refugee newcomers.
Read more...
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Refugees Impress Employer, Find Opportunity in Kentucky
October 2 was a happy day in the Lexington, Kentucky, offices of Kentucky Refugee Ministries.
A visit from a supportive hiring manager from an environmental services firm ended with seven of the agency’s refugee clients securing their first full time jobs in the United States.
Charles Smith works for Grothall Environmental Services, a company that provides cleaning and environmental services for Lexington’s major hospitals, including the University of Kentucky Hospital system.
Grothall and KRM – EMM’s local affiliate – have long been close collaborators; the firm partners with KRM to hire many refugees each year. The recent meeting was the first time that Smith has visited the KRM offices to interview new Americans in a more comfortable setting, rather than asking them to come to his office.
Read more...
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Episcopal School Welcomes Refugee Students & Families
Refugee children who are new to the United States encounter many of the same challenges as adults. They must acclimate to a new culture, new surroundings, and in many cases, a new way of interacting with those around them.
Many refugee kids tend to adapt faster than adults, but they’re also vulnerable in ways that adults are not. A positive school environment is absolutely essential to their success.
A group of Congolese students in Tucson, Arizona, have found a tremendously supportive school community at Imago Dei Middle School, a private academy affiliated with the National Association of Episcopal Schools.
Nine young refugees, assisted in their new communities by EMM’s local partners at Refugee Focus, have received full scholarships to the school, and the impact on their entire families has been evident to those around them.
Read more...
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Refugees in the Press
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October 1 marked the beginning of a new federal fiscal year and the start of a new program period for EMM. During Fiscal Year 2013, EMM resettled 4,712 refugees and other vulnerable migrants.
Those individuals came from the following regions:
Europe and Central Asia: 23 Refugees
Africa: 1,036 Refugees
Near East: 1,488 Refugees
South Asia: 765 Refugees
East Asia: 1,118 Refugees
Latin America: 282 Refugees
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Acknowledgments
EMM's work is supported by grants from the U.S. Dept. of State, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, and by contributions from The Episcopal Church, parishes and community groups around the country.
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