News from Tallahassee, FL

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 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.

On Saturday, June 20 the IRC in Tallahassee celebrated World Refugee Day. The IRC hosted a live virtual panel discussion with community partners, refugee families and the Tallahassee community at-large. The event highlighted the contributions of the refugee community in Tallahassee, and elevated the voices of refugee families, community leaders and volunteers who ensure Big Bend communities continue to be welcoming places for all.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, IRC clients John, Beata, Furaha and Dezir were recently hired by a local textile manufacturer that has switched gears to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for local emergency services departments and front-line workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now in their third week on the job, these resilient new Americans are grateful for the opportunity to work and give back to the community that welcomed them.

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.

April is National Volunteer Month, where we honor the generous volunteers in our communities who make our work possible! Tommy Thompson is a dedicated mentor in the IRC in Tallahassee’s volunteer-led Youth program which helps middle-and high-school refugee students learn English and better adjust to their new home.