South Sudanese Foundation

THE MISSION OF THE SOUTH SUDANESE FOUNDATION IS TO BE A LIFE-CHANGING, TRANSFORMATIVE COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE ENCOUNTERS REMINDERS OF LOVE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER IN OUR NEW HOME OF FARGO-MOORHEAD. SSF SUPPORTS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN, LIVE, AND THRIVE. THIS IS A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED EMPTINESS, WAR ZONES, CONFUSION AND MISERY CAN COME TO KNOW HEALING, FULFILLMENT, JOY, LOVE, AND FAITH. THE MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF SSF DURING 2021:- ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE SERVICE TO 8,000 FAMILIES. - PROVIDE DISTANCE LEARNING SUPPORT TO 600 STUDENTS. - PROVIDE 368 COMPUTERS TO STUDENTS. - WE WERE ABLE TO PLACE 441 PEOPLE IN JOBS- WE HAVE 436 STUDENTS IN OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM- WE WERE ABLE TO ENGAGE 20,000 PEOPLE TO TAKE COVID VACCINATION- WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE INTERNET ACCESS FOR 400 STUDENTS FOR DISTANCE LEARNING

ESHARA PROJECT ESHARA HAS DEVELOPED A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION THAT WILL ADDRESS OUR IMMEDIATE FUNDING CHALLENGES AND MOBILIZE OUR TALENTED TEAM TO REACH NEW AMERICANS WHO ARE FURTHEST FROM OPPORTUNITIES. OUR STRATEGY INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING: THE FUNDING FROM ESHARA PROJECT WAS TO PROVIDE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND RENT ASSISTANT AND STIPENDS TO THE CONTRACTORS. 1) PARTNER WITH PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANTS TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO OUR TEAM OF CONTRACTED PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER STRATEGIC NEW AMERICAN LEADERS, WHO WILL FORM A COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM2) FUND OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM TO DELIVER REAL-TIME INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 PREVENTION AND RESPONSE SERVICES TO THE NEW AMERICANS IN FARGO.3) EQUIP OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM WITH TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT, TO INCLUDE LAPTOPS, TRAC PHONES, AND ONLINE CONFERENCE PLATFORMS TO COMMUNICATE REMOTELY WITH THE NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITIES.4) PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO NEW AMERICANS FOR PPE, GROCERIES, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS. OUR COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM WILL BE ABLE TO DELIVER SUPPORT TO MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS NEEDED.5) DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE CULTURALLY ATTUNED MESSAGING THAT RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS AND PRACTICES EXPERIENCED BY NEW AMERICANS.6) ASSIST WITH THE DISTANCE LEARNING FOR NEW AMERICAN SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS. HELP REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT STUDENTS' ACCESS AND ACCLIMATE TO DISTANCE LEARNING, AND WORK WITH STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE ALL STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO LEARN OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. WITHOUT THE WORK OF ESHARA, STUDENTS, THEIR FAMILIES AND TEACHERS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE MUCH DIFFICULTY COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER AND KEEPING UP WITH THEIR PEERS WHO HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THEY NEED AND GUIDANCE FROM THEIR PARENTS.7) A RAPID RESPONSE COMMUNITY MEMBER WILL KEEP UP WITH AND TRANSLATE ALL CDC, FEDERAL, STATE, CITY AND LOCAL ANNOUNCEMENTS, INFORMATION FROM MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE RESOURCES AND ACTIVATE PHONE TREES AND POST TRANSLATED ANNOUNCEMENTS ON DESIGNATED SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. THE MEMBERS WILL ALSO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS COMPLETE ONLINE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS APPLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATE WITH BENEFITS ADMINISTRATORS AND CONNECT THEM WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO SURVIVE THIS PANDEMIC.

DISTANCE LEARNING PROJECT - THE NEW AMERICAN STUDENT MENTOR WORKS DIRECTLY AND COLLABORATIVELY WITH NEW AMERICAN STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND SCHOOL STAFF, TO IMPLEMENT STRATEGIES THAT ADDRESS SCHOOL SUCCESS AND SCHOOL COMPLETION FOR STUDENTS IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO COMPLETE HOMEWORK, LEARN NEW MATERIAL, AND GRADUATE DURING COVID19. THE FUNDING FROM THIS PROJECT PROVIDES TABLET/IPAD AND COMPUTERS FOR STUDENTS AND STIPENDS FOR TUTORS.1) DISTANCE LEARNING -SSF'S DIGITAL LEARNING PROPOSAL WILL MEET THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED NEW AMERICAN STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN MOORHEAD, MINNESOTA THROUGH A CULTURALLY UNIQUE LENS. HAVING BEEN A CENTER PIECE AND FOUNDATIONAL RESOURCE PROVIDER FOR THE NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN MOORHEAD FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, AND ITS LEADERS REPRESENTING THE NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITY THEMSELVES, SSF IS ATTUNED TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAS DETERMINED THE FOLLOWING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: 2) PROVIDE ELECTRONIC DEVICES (LAPTOPS, TABLETS) AND INTERNET HOTSPOTS TO NEW AMERICAN K-12 STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEND ONLINE SCHOOLING, COMPLETE ACADEMIC ASSIGNMENTS, AND ACCESS RESOURCES RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION AND FUTURE CAREER PATHWAYS.3) FACILITATE ONE-ON-ONE ONLINE TUTORING AND MENTORING BETWEEN NEW AMERICAN STUDENTS AND BI-CULTURAL, BILINGUAL TUTORS AND MENTORS.THE OUTCOMES THAT SSF HOPES TO SEE THROUGH THIS PROJECT ARE THAT STUDENTS IN THE NEW AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN MOORHEAD WILL BE BETTER EQUIPPED, BOTH THROUGH DEVICE PROVISION AND TUTORING, TO ACHIEVE ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR THE DURATION OF DISTANCE LEARNING AND WHEN SCHOOLS RETURN TO IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION. IMPROVED STUDENT WELLBEING AND MENTAL HEALTH IS ANOTHER OUTCOME THAT WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH CONNECTING STUDENTS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS VIA MENTORING AND ENABLING THEIR CONNECTIVITY TO FRIENDS AND RELATIVES OUTSIDE OF THE HOME THROUGH IMPROVED INTERNET CONNECTIVITY. FOR PARENTS, A DESIRED OUTCOME IS INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS SCHOOL INFORMATION AND ASSIST THEIR CHILDREN.

EQUITY CONVERSATION PROJECT - SSF BUILDS COMMUNITY NETWORKS AND THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF THE SOUTH SUDANESE, SOMALIAN, NEPALESE, CONGOLESE, KURDISH, IRAQI, AND BHUTANESE COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ADVOCACY, AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES, PROVISIONS OF LEGAL PATHWAYS, AND CULTURAL INTEGRATION. SFF UTILIZES A COLLECTIVE ACTION FRAMEWORK WITH AN ALL-INCLUSIVE, MULTI-CULTURAL, GRASSROOTS APPROACH TO SOLVE THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHALLENGES OUR COMMUNITIES FACE BY BUILDING A CROSS-SECTOR COLLECTIVE WITH PARTNERS FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CHURCHES, EDUCATION AND TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, NONPROFITS, AND FARGO-MOORHEAD BUSINESSES.THROUGH COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, ADVOCACY, AND FINDING ALLIES WITHIN THE FARGO-MOORHEAD COMMUNITY, SSF ADDRESSES THE ISSUES FACING NEW AMERICANS AND LEADS DISCUSSIONS WITH AUTHENTICITY BY ENGAGING IN RACIAL-EQUITY FOCUSED CONVERSATIONS. SSF USES ITS POWER TO ADVANCE THE COMMUNITY THROUGH PERSONAL PASSION AND LEVERAGING SSF'S IDENTITY, INFLUENCING BROADER SYSTEMS, GLEANING INSIGHTS AND MAKING CONNECTIONS ACROSS SECTORS TO PUSH PAST TENDENCIES THAT REINFORCE BARRIERS AND BREAK DOWN SILOS.THE FUNDING FROM THIS PROJECT, ARE USED TO RENT THE SPACE AND STIPEND FOR THE HOST ORGANIZER LIKE THE DIRECTOR WHO LEAD THE CONVERSATIONS