Job Application Hours (JAH) launched at IRC in Silver Spring in early June to provide new neighbors with hands-on support in navigating job searches, refining resumes and submitting job applications. 

The program takes place every Thursday, during which volunteers meet with newcomers to provide specialized one-on-one support in reducing barriers to employment. 

Since June, volunteers have helped over 70 humanitarian immigrants take their next steps toward economic stability.  

For volunteers like Nathalie, the work is deeply personal. Coming to the U.S. at age six as an immigrant, she remembers both her parents’ determination to build a better future and the challenges they faced in starting over.

“Being able to contribute to helping people ease into life here is just a real honor,” Nathalie says.

Nathalie’s career in international development took her from South Africa to Egypt, Zimbabwe and Peru, managing U.S. government-funded programs in education, democracy and governance. Inspired to stay engaged as a volunteer, she sought out an organization whose mission she believed in. "The IRC’s ongoing commitment to refugee support just makes sense,” she explains. “It takes time to learn the language, the customs - everything. Having an organization like IRC to help with that process is critically important.”

For fellow JAH volunteer Sarah, the path to the IRC began after her dream career, providing humanitarian support in Kenya, shifted unexpectedly. With more time available, she sought ways to stay connected to the work she wanted to pursue. Sarah comments:

“One way you can inoculate yourself against sudden change is to look within your circle of control,”

“Volunteering is a big piece of that.”  

JAH has quickly become a place where both newcomers and volunteers find connection, purpose and resilience. Sarah, who is in the process of job hunting herself, finds meaning in helping clients with the same application process that she is navigating. Nathalie draws on her own immigration experience to offer encouragement and guidance. Together, they show that service is a two-way exchange - volunteers bring skills and compassion, and in return gain a renewed sense of purpose and community.  

In just a few months, JAH has provided support for many already, but the demand continues to grow. 

With each new volunteer, our capacity to support job seekers on their path to self-sufficiency grows. Each new job represents not just a personal milestone, but proof of what is possible when communities come together to rebuild, gain confidence and achieve stability. 

Join our work – sign up to volunteer today.