67-year-old Oleksandr recounts his fraught journey to flee Ukraine with his wife and two grandchildren, and the subsequent legal battle they endured.

Part two in a three-part series, these deep dives better explain the process of refugee resettlement in Kansas. In December, we covered the basics of who refugees are and initial resettlement in the U.S. This month, the focus is on refugee resettlement in Kansas during the first 24 months after arrival, including the efforts of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Kansas to help families positively integrate and thrive in their new community.

The IRC’s life-saving malnutrition treatment helps over 90% of children recover. But cuts to humanitarian aid from the United States are putting this life-saving work at risk.

The IRC in New Jersey’s first cohort of Hospitality Link graduated in April 2018. A total of 18 students from a wide variety of backgrounds attended intensive hospitality training daily for two weeks.

Nearly 100 asylum-seekers are arriving daily in Phoenix, fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries for the safety and freedom of the United States. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and our partner organizations are providing critical humanitarian assistance to these families when they arrive, including food, shelter, and medical assistance.

The IRC in NJ continues to serve the Afghan community across all departments. Women in Action (WIA) is a career development program embedded in the IRC in NJ’s Refugee Career Pathways program. The goal of WIA is to help participants identify personal and career goals in a supportive environment, embrace an active role in building family economic self-sufficiency, and increase connections with a wider community.  

Last year, the IRC in Greece hosted cooking workshops for refugees living on the island of Lesvos. Jacqueline, who lives in a refugee camp in Greece, loves cooking to bring people together and create connections. Learn to make vegan Mahshi - vegetables stuffed with rice - using her recipe.

On February 4, the IRC in Tallahassee’s staff, refugee clients and volunteers joined fellow advocates from the Florida Immigrant Coalition and We Are All America at the Florida State Capitol for the state’s first ever Refugee Advocacy Day.

The Central American Minors (CAM) Program has recently reopened and the IRC in Los Angeles is here to help! Contact us to file an application and begin the family reunification process today.

As a way of tackling the ongoing displacement crisis, the IRC is focusing on community engagement to help with the integration of resettled refugees into our local communities, through a new Community Sponsorship model called the HOME (Housing, Orientation, Mentoring, Education) program.