Among the many challenges that 2020 brought to many around the world, the closing of international borders and travel restrictions as a result of the pandemic further limited the already dwindling number of refugees accepted by the Trump Administration. Prior to the pandemic, the Trump Administration had reduced the number of refugees the United States was committed to welcoming. At the onset of the pandemic, the arrivals of refugees to Tallahassee halted altogether, and it wasn’t until the end of 2020 that new families began to arrive across Big Bend communities. This time, the newly arrived families were coming from Latin America. This was a first for the IRC in Tallahassee’s short four-year history, which has historically welcomed families from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria.

Wendy Juarez is the 2022 winner of the New American Dream Lab and owner of Prime Corn! Wendy launched Prime Corn in December 2021 with a focus on plant-based dishes derived from traditional Mexican cuisine.

The IRC in NY gives thanks to its partners who supported refugee families this past fall with housing and continue to do so. IRC partners have supported clients by 1) securing household basics, amenities, and furniture, 2) participating in the hands-on move-in work, and 3) extending a warm welcome to families.

13-year old Zain from Karachi, Pakistan is a student in IRC’s Refugee Youth Summer Academy preparing for school in New York this fall.

IRC Maryland staff visited the National Museum of African-American History and Culture to commemorate Juneteenth.

August and September are school enrollment season for the IRC in New York Youth team. With schools closed over the summer, there is typically a backlog of students needing to enroll in school for the first time since arriving in the US. This past school enrollment cycle, the IRC in NY’s Youth Programs team enrolled over 40 youth into the public school system. This is double the number of enrollments from last year!

Mukasa Agnes Flavia came to the United States as a refugee after living in a Kenya refugee camp for 11 years. This is part one of two, on Flavia's road to resettlement.

This National Volunteer Week, communities across the country partner with the IRC to welcome and empower refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of trafficking. In these turbulent times, collective support and dedicated service means more than ever.

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month. An IRC client and survivor of human trafficking shares her story with us.

Nazir was the Managing intern for the IRC in NY Education & Learning department. In this role, Nazir supported the Newcomer Youth Summer Academy (NYSA) program, including helping children from over 20 countries receive academic and social-emotional learning during the summer of 2022.