News from Miami, FL

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season started on June 1, 2020 and will conclude on November 30, 2020. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this year’s hurricane season is expected to be active and NOAA predicts a 60% chance of an above-normal season. This year’s active hurricane season has the potential to generate between three to six major hurricanes.

The IRC opened its locally-funded office in Miami in 1960 in response to the Cuban Revolution and, over the decades, has served over 25,000 refugees, asylees, survivors of human trafficking and other vulnerable populations in South Florida. Due to nationally reduced refugee admissions, the IRC ended its refugee resettlement program in Miami in 2018. Although its resettlement program concluded in 2018, the IRC in Miami continues to serve the community by providing holistic, trauma-informed services to survivors of human trafficking and unaccompanied children and their families.

The IRC in Florida has provided emergency housing assistance to 16 families across Florida, which equates to 160 individuals. The Florida Crisis Prevention fund addresses emergency housing needs by providing payments towards rent and utilities.

Human trafficking continues to be prevalent across Florida as online platforms become powerful tools for luring children and other vulnerable populations. Learn more about online child exploitation and ways you can keep your family safe.

Since launching our COVID-19 Crisis Prevention Fund last month, community members from all over the state have donated to help the IRC extend a safety net to our newest neighbors. In our latest update, hear from our resilient clients and our Tallahassee and Miami site leads on how we are responding to this global pandemic.

The IRC is thrilled to welcome JC Torres to our team as our new Development Manager. JC is charged with leading the fundraising initiatives for both the Tallahassee and Miami offices. Before joining the IRC, JC served as the Associate Director of Development for Conexion Americas, an organization dedicated to the development of the Latino community across Tennessee.

From Friday, March 13 and until further notice, the IRC’s offices in Tallahassee and Miami are closed and our staff is working remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are adapting and continuing to serve our clients during this difficult time. Learn more about our COVID-19 response and how you can help refugees and survivors in Florida communities in our latest update.

March 17 marks the 40th Anniversary of President Jimmy Carter signing the Refugee Act of 1980. Forty years ago, Congress passed landmark legislation with near unanimous bipartisan support creating a formal process for welcoming refugees based on humanitarian needs and U.S. interests.

Refugee families, survivors of human trafficking and other vulnerable populations that we serve will be disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID-19 on our community in the coming weeks. Please donate to the IRC in Florida’s Crisis Prevention Fund and help us ensure our newest neighbors have the resources and services they need to get through this trying time.

In the lead up to Super Bowl LIV, the IRC in Miami’s Caridad Mas-Batchelor delivered numerous trainings for Uber drivers across the tri-county area on how to recognize and report human trafficking.