The continuing war in Ukraine is causing extreme civilian harm, as millions of people have been forced to leave their homes and find shelter in neighbouring or further countries. Poland is one of the countries hosting the largest number of refugees from Ukraine. The IRC has worked in Poland since February 2022 to provide vital support to those affected by the conflict, so they can return home when it is safe, not because they have to.

Community Sponsorship offers an exciting opportunity for a group of community members to support resettlement efforts and to engage in deeply impactful work with one of our family cases. Following the higher volume of arrivals experienced recently and an increase in community attention toward assisting refugees, IRC in San Jose is seeking volunteer groups who are interested in becoming Co-Sponsors.

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.  

In 2022, the IRC in Silver Spring supported over 150 Ukrainians who came to the U.S. since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While each newcomer has a different story, they share in the experience of fleeing their home country for fear of violence and persecution. In recognition of the one-year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, we spoke with client, Zhumaima, who came to the U.S. in July 2022 after leaving Ukraine.

Our team at the IRC in Kansas has been working hard to respond quickly to client needs, as everyone in the community is feeling the social, economic, and health impacts of COVID-19. While programming is currently not business-as-usual, we continue to serve refugee families and survivors of human trafficking remotely, many of whom need support from the IRC and neighbors more than ever.