News from Miami, FL

The Resource Development Intern will assist the Development Manager in volunteer management and community referral building. The Resource Development Intern will identify and provide community resources to requesting clients and answer questions from the public. The Resource Development Intern will also assist with community awareness and outreach efforts. Travel within Miami-Dade may be required depending on project needs.

The IRC in Florida’s staff is in conversations with Congressional leaders to discuss the IRC’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Presidential Determination for the admission of refugees in the United States.

During these unprecedented times, Florida communities, stretching from Tallahassee to Miami, continue supporting refugees, survivors of human trafficking and immigrant youth. It takes all of us—volunteers, clients, donors, employees and community partners—to maintain our 60-year legacy of welcoming and uplifting the voices of our resilient clients.

On Saturday, July 25 the IRC in Miami and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hosted a food and personal item donation drive benefiting survivors of human trafficking.

On Thursday, July 30, the IRC in Florida is participating in World Day Against Trafficking in Persons by inviting the community to join a live online panel discussion regarding human trafficking in South Florida. Florida ranks in the top three U.S. states for reported incidents of human trafficking, and South Florida exhibits the largest percentage of those cases.

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.