News from Silver Spring, MD

In February, refugee youth in the IRC in Silver Spring’s After-School Program learned the meaning and importance of civic engagement by participating in their first ever community service project at A Wider Circle in Silver Spring, MD. Youth toured the organization’s facilities, learned about the services it provides and people it serves, and then spent the morning helping with different projects, such as sorting books, folding clothes and moving furniture.

Call your members of congress today. The United States' refugee family reunification program is shut down, separating families like Ali's. As we mark the one year anniversary of the first refugee ban, ask your Member of Congress to fight for refugees.

In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January, the IRC in Silver Spring sat down with Winifrida Kassembe, Anti-Trafficking Caseworker, to interview her about the office’s efforts to combat human trafficking in Maryland. The focus of the Anti-Trafficking Program is to ensure that survivors have access to protection and opportunities to achieve self-sufficiency through comprehensive case management, advocacy, education, collaboration, and capacity building.

The IRC in Maryland and Whole Foods Market introduce their partnership through a Community Giving Day where 5% of Whole Foods Market's total sales will be donated to the IRC.

On December 3, the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring brought together over 50 clients, volunteers, and staff for a Thanksgiving meal and afternoon of festivities. Sampling traditional American fare such as roasted turkey and cranberry sauce alongside delicacies like homemade dolmas and Syrian pastries, refugee families and IRC volunteers and staff had an opportunity to share their cultural traditions with each other and express the things that they are thankful for in their lives.

To celebrate the end of 2017, the Silver Spring and Baltimore offices of the International Rescue Committee gathered together for a day of team building to honor and acknowledge the success of our clients and employees in taking the IRC mission to the next level.

Through their involvement in the Family Mentor Program at the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring, Meghan Hess and Ryan Carra have not only established a connection to their community in suburban Maryland but also made friends with a newly arrived refugee family from El Salvador.

On-call volunteer opportunity supporting apartment set-up, donation sorting, and other tasks.

Living​ ​in​ ​the​ ​USA,​ ​particularly​ ​in​ ​the​ ​nation’s​ ​capital,​ ​provides​ ​endless​ ​opportunities​ ​to dedicate​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort​ ​towards​ ​the​ ​refugee​ ​and​ ​asylee​ ​community.​ ​Over​ ​the​ ​summer,​ ​I​ ​was lucky​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​contribute​ ​to​ ​this​ ​work​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Asylee​ ​Casework​ ​Intern​ ​with​ ​the​ ​International Rescue​ ​Committee​ ​(IRC).​ ​Kind,​ ​genuine​ ​and​ ​dedicated​ ​doesn’t​ ​begin​ ​to​ ​the​ ​scratch​ ​the​ ​surface of​ ​the​ ​IRC​ ​staff​ ​in​ ​Silver​ ​Spring.​ ​I​ ​had​ ​the​ ​privilege​ ​of​ ​witnessing​ ​and​ ​taking​ ​part​ ​in​ ​clients’ transition​ ​to​ ​the​ ​USA,​ ​and​ ​because​ ​of​ ​this,​ ​I​ ​can​ ​provide​ ​testament​ ​to​ ​the​ ​time​ ​and​ ​effort​ ​that caseworkers​ ​commit​ ​to​ ​each​ ​and​ ​every​ ​client.

On Saturday, September 14, 2017 the International Rescue Committee in Silver Spring and Play-Well TEKnologies invited refugee youth, their families and the local community to come together for a day revolving around connection, community, and most importantly, play. Refugee youth and their families built their hometowns and countries out of LEGO bricks, and then the local community was invited to build Washington, DC with them out of 40,000 LEGOs.