IRC in Northern California Response to Covid-19

Last updated on April 13, 2020. 

We are continuously addressing the current and potential impacts this outbreak will have on IRC programs in Northern California (Oakland, Sacramento, San Jose, Turlock/Modesto). Watch the latest staff update video here. 

Following guidance issued by relevant county Public Health departments, the IRC is providing critical information in all relevant languages to refugees, victims of trafficking, asylees, and other hard-to-reach populations across the region. The IRC is ensuring that refugee families practice the advised safety precautions of hand-washing, social-distancing, and "shelter in place" protocol. 

Furthermore, IRC staff are providing up-to-date guidance as to what individuals should do if they feel sick and show symptoms of fever, coughing, and sneezing. We are also now actively tracking and addressing families' access to critical resources such as food, shelter, health care, benefits, and internet services. IRC has initiated a comprehensive set of prevention and response measures to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in California and to mitigate risks to our clients and staff. We are actively implementing programs remotely as available and building programming that will help rebuil financial stability in our communities in the longer term. 

You can continue to support refugee and immigrant families at this time with the following online activities:

• EGift Card drives (e.g.Target, Walmart) for distribution to families who will have unexpected costs due to disruption to income from the COVID-19 outbreak. 
• Soft Landing Fund – donate to support IRC families who are the most vulnerable and do not have access to public resources to pay for rent, food, and other life essentials. 

As always, thank you for your support as we meet these challenges together to help keep our communities safe and healthy.