IRC in Denver teams up with local groups to support refugee families with integrating smoothly into the community!

During a time when everyone feels alone, volunteers ensure that refugee students feel supported as they finish their academic year and look ahead to future goals.

Jonessa White, maternal & child health specialist, quickly responded to families raising concerns about food insecurity. Through a food access assessment, Jonessa’s team quickly identified and addressed language-accessibility barriers to educational resources.

The health team at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City begins a support group for Afghan women who arrived to Utah in recent months.

IRC offices across the nation have offered New Roots programs for many years, providing opportunities for refugees to participate in sustainable agricultural practices and receive nutrition education. Yet in the heart of California’s Central Valley—the agricultural hub of the state—no such program had existed.

That all changed May 8, as four Afghan families helped launch a new sustainable agriculture program for the IRC in Turlock/Modesto. Participants gathered at Turlock Community Gardens to plant crops typically grown in their home country such as okra, muskmelons and Persian cucumbers as well as fruits and vegetables more commonly grown such as tomatoes, strawberries and bell peppers.