News from New York, NY

This year’s Holiday Drive was met with excitement and joy. Every year, the IRC in NY hosts a Drive to support refugee and immigrant families preparing for the winter season. Having to resettle or navigate a significant wave of economic insecurity, many families are in need of warmer coats and winter accessories.

The IRC in NYNJ will continue to support Afghan individuals and families, and newcomers from across the Globe in their long resettlement journey. The crisis in Afghanistan has shaped the methodology of resettlement case management at the IRC to bolster proactive and client-facing services and programming. With your support, the IRC in NYNY can defy the temporal pressures and limits that inflate the emotional and financial burden faced by newcomers.

Do you speak another language? Join the International Rescue Committee in New York as a Community Interpreter Volunteer to help interpret for newly arrived refugees and immigrants. 

This September, the New Roots Community Farm’s (NRCF) community members came together to rebuild the farm. This project consisted of transplanting new plants, weeding, and installing sturdier plant beds. The New York Restoration Project also joined the NRCF in these efforts to execute the rebuild. The IRC in NY sat with Sheryll Durrant, the Food and Agriculture Coordinator at IRC in NY, to learn about the impact of this rebuild and the vision of the NRCF as a whole.

Our HERO youth students made the most of NYSA this summer! The IRC in NY chats with Upper School and Lower School students to learn about their time at NYSA.

The Healthcare Admin Professionals Initiative (HAPI) program completed its first cohort. The Economic Empowerment Unit reflects on the program so far.

Update! Watch the October 7th webinar recording on IRC's Afghan Emergency Response in the US

The Civic Corps member is responsible for collaborating with IRC staff to determine volunteer needs; recruit, screen, train and supervise volunteers; provide on-going support and guidance for volunteers; and enter volunteer information in a central database system. Member must be able to perform all required tasks remotely until the office is fully open for in-person activities.

The IRC in New York hosted a virtual naturalization workshop that turned into a free consultation workshop.

High rates of unemployment and Covid-19 infection among New American community members has contributed heavily to lack of stable access to adequate amounts of nutritious food . Refugees and immigrants have been some of the hardest hit populations in the country, disproportionately experiencing food and nutritional insecurity due to their high rates of employment in “gig economy” and other job sectors like food, hotel, and health which have been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Help new American communities combat hunger with a gift to IRC's food security programs in the U.S.