Letter from Bob Johnson, Executive Director of the IRC in Seattle
“Before, we weren’t considered full human beings. The children didn’t have a future there, no matter how good of students they were. The IRC resettled my family in Seattle, and the children were enrolled in good schools right away.”- A refugee resettled by the IRC in Seattle
Refugees arrive in the United States fleeing war and persecution from countries all around the world. The IRC in Seattle has been here since 1976 and is dedicated to helping refugees re-establish their life in America. Since opening our doors, we have resettled over 19,000 refugees. Our programs are constantly expanding to meet their needs and help them move on with their lives. We have offices in downtown Seattle and SeaTac, near the airport.
This year, the IRC in Seattle expects to welcome families and individuals from Burma, Bhutan, Iraq, Iran, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia along with a small number of refugees from other countries. We also provide services to foreign-born victims of human trafficking, coordinating both their legal and day-to-day basic needs.
Refugees are greeted by IRC staff at the airport, usually arriving late at night. From that moment on, IRC staff and volunteers assist them in getting started on their path to self-sufficiency. Our services include housing, financial assistance, English and pre-employment classes, job placement, medical case management, immigration assistance, and a summer school orientation program for refugee children. Down the road, we assist them to obtain permanent residency and eventually U.S. citizenship.
We couldn’t do all this without help from the greater Seattle community. For thirty-five years we have helped thousands of refugees from every part of the world restart their lives in Washington State. Your contributions of monetary support or volunteer time are crucial to achieving our goal - to help as many refugees as possible rebuild their lives and reach the end of their journey from Harm to Home.
You can learn more about our many programs here on our website. To reach us directly, please e-mail us at Seattle@Rescue.org.
Thank you,
Bob Johnson
Executive Director, the IRC in Seattle
