IRC and partners are continuing to make an impact for low income refugee families as they experience job loss, food insecurity and isolation.

World Refugee Day, June 20, is a global moment to shed light on the resilience and strength of people who have escaped conflict and are rebuilding their lives. The IRC is celebrating with events throughout the month that recognize the accomplishments and contributions of refugees in the United States.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, refugee community leaders have helped provide masks, language accessible documents and videos, and put their lives on the line for their community.

The IRC is thankful for our continued partnership with Starbucks, who has agreed to hire 10,000 refugees globally. Through these job opportunities, Starbucks is supporting clients as they rebuild their lives and integrate into their local communities. This month we want to highlight a success story from one of our own clients in Silver Spring who was recently hired by Starbucks.

Our work in Afghanistan, which has from the start spanned “the arc of crisis” from conflict to resettlement, has never been more urgent and crucial.

The IRC in Salt Lake City's education team led a hike to Donut Falls, one of many activities organized to support refugee youth as they settle into life in Utah.

On February 23, more than a dozen speakers testified before the Georgia House Higher Education Committee in favor of House Bill 932, a bill which would extend in-state tuition at Georgia public colleges and universities to refugees immediately upon resettlement, as opposed to the current one-year wait period. The bill would also apply to individuals who risked their lives to support the U.S. military overseas, including our Afghan allies who were evacuated last summer.

Uganda has embraced refugees fleeing war in South Sudan as brothers and sisters who need help and a chance to start a new life somewhere safe. See this welcome in action at a Ugandan restaurant whose owner is proud to count South Sudanese newcomers among her employees and customers.