Refugee Connections Spokane

TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING SERVICES, FOSTERING COMMUNITY BONDS, AND ADVOCATIONG FOR REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS IN THE INLAND NORTHWEST.

REFUGEE ELDER OUTREACH PROGRAM THIS PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO THE EMPOWERMENT OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WHO CAME TO THE UNITED STATES LATER IN LIFE. IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THAT ELDERS ARE INCLUDED IN OTHER RCS PROJECTS, RCS COORDINATES ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS SPECIFICALLY TAILORED FOR REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT ELDERS. THESE INCLUDE: BASIC ESL CLASSES; CIVIC-ORIENTED "SETTLING INTO SPOKANE" FIELD TRIPS; TRAINING IN THE USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION; NUTRITION EDUCATION; AND PARTICIPATION IN A COMMUNITY GARDEN. REFUGEE ELDER/IMMIGRANT SENIOR OUTREACH CONNECTS CLIENTS WITH ESL CLASSES, SENIOR SERVICE WORKSHOPS, CIVIC AND CULTURAL FIELD TRIPS, CITIZENSHIP CLASSES AND ELDER GROUPS WITH ART AND MUSIC AND FOOD. WE FOCUS ON HOLISTIC HEALTH, WITH THE GOAL TO ENABLE PARTICIPANTS TO BECOME CITIZENS.

COVID SUPPORT WAS PROVIDED TO THE COMMUNITY TO ASSIST REFUGEES WITH RENT, ENERGY, FOOD AND OTHER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS FREE FACE MASKS AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT HELPED THEM STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE IN THE FACE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MINI GRANTS AND FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS WERE PROVIDED TO SEVERAL OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THE OUTREACH OF SUPPORTING SERVICES AND RESOURCES.

REFUGEE KIDS CONNECT THIS PROGRAM WAS STARTED IN 2017 BY A LOCAL WOMEN COMMITTED TO MENTORING YOUTH. IT HAS EXPANDED TO 4 APARTMENT COMPLEXES SINCE THEN, WHERE KIDS GATHER AT COMMUNITY CENTER TO DO ACTIVITIES, GAMES, CRAFTS AND STEM CHALLENGES. IN WINTER AND RAINY MONTHS, THEY DO HOMEWORK AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE MAIN AIM IS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE SO THEY CAN DO WELL IN SCHOOL AND PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION.

OTHER PROGRAMS: WORLD REFUGEE DAY REFUGEE CONNECTIONS SPOKANE (RCS) TAKES THE LEAD IN COORDINATING WITH NEARLY 12 OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO HOST A COMMUNITY-WIDE CELEBRATION OF LOCAL REFUGEES FOR THE ANNUAL UNITED NATIONS WORLD REFUGEE DAY. WORLD REFUGEE DAY CELEBRATION HAS INCREASED ITS PARTICIPATION, GATHERING 700 ATTENDEES WITH A NATURALIZATION CEREMONY, CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES, INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES, AWARDS CEREMONY, INTERNATIONAL FOOD, CULTURAL MARKETPLACE, AND COMMUNITY AGENCY FAIR TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ABOUT REFUGEES IMPACT IN SPOKANE. AMERICAN LAW AND JUSTICE WORKSHOP AMERICAN LAW & JUSTICE WORKSHOP ADDRESSES THE NEED FOR REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS TO UNDERSTAND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES. WE ARE RENEWING THIS PROGRAM WITH PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY AGENCIES AND CHURCHES. LAW AND JUSTICE WORKSHOP EVENTS ARE DEDICATED TO: 1) FOSTERING A POSITIVE VIEW OF THE U.S. LEGAL SYSTEM, GIVEN THAT MANY REFUGEES COME FROM PLACES WHERE AUTHORITY IS A SYMBOL OF THREAT; 2) EXPLAINING THE PURPOSE OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS; 3) IDENTIFYING KEY CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES; AND 4) PROVIDING INFORMATION - IN WRITING - TO EACH PARTICIPANT ABOUT WHERE TO SEEK HELP IN PROTECTING THOSE RIGHTS. RCS HAS COLLABORATED WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PRESENT THREE WORKSHOPS SINCE 2013. POLICE POTLUCK RCS COORDINATES WITH THE SPOKANE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BRING OFFICERS TOGETHER WITH REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES FOR AN INFORMAL MEAL. THESE GATHERINGS PROMOTE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SPD OFFICERS AND THE REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. TRANSLATOR/INTERPRETER COURSE TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF CERTIFIED LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS AND TRANSLATORS, RCS HAS COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO RE-ESTABLISH REGULAR LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION TESTING IN EASTERN WASHINGTON, AND TO PREPARE BILINGUAL REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS FOR THIS TEST. THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY, THE WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT AND SOCIAL HEALTH SERVICES (DSHS) NOW OFFERS REGULAR LANGUAGE CERTIFICATION TESTING IN EASTERN WASHINGTON. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE WORKED WITH COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO PRESENT A COURSE TO PREPARE BILINGUAL REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS TO TAKE THIS TEST. THIS MEANS MORE INTERPRETERS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO HELP THOSE REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE WITH SERVICE PROVIDERS. PATIENT PASSPORTS PATIENT PASSPORTS, IN 10 LANGUAGES INCLUDING ENGLISH, CONTAIN REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT CONTACT INFORMATION, MEDICAL PROVIDERS, MEDICATIONS, ALLERGIES, AND OTHER INFORMATION NEEDED FOR PATIENT VISITS TO CLINICS, HOSPITALS, AND EMERGENCY ROOMS. WSU MEDICAL SCHOOL PHARMACY STUDENTS HELP WITH OUTREACH AND DISTRIBUTION. PATIENT PASSPORTS HELP PEOPLE WITH LIMITED ENGLISH SKILLS TO COMMUNICATE WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TO ENHANCE THEIR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. WE MAKE THIS RESOURCE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE. REFUGEE HARVEST REFUGEES' HARVEST MOBILIZES REFUGEES TO GLEAN PRODUCE DONATED FROM SPOKANE NEIGHBORS AND FARMERS DISTRIBUTING IT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. RCS RELIED HEAVILY ON THE MANY VOLUNTEERS FOR MANY FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE ABOUT 100 VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT. AS A YOUNG ORGANIZATION, VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE ORGANIZATION CARRYING OUT THE ORGANATIONS PROGRAMS. CENSUS 2020 OUTREACH THE 2020 CENSUS IS CRUCIAL TO MANY POPULATIONS, BUT ESPECIALLY TO REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS, AMONG LESSER COUNTED GROUPS. PARTNERING WITH ASIAN PACIFIC ISLANDER COALITION, RCS IS SENDING CENSUS CULTURAL LIAISONS TO RUSSIAN, ARABIC, NEPALI, MARSHALLESE, KINYARWANDA/SWAHILI/FRENCH, KAREN, CHIN, HMONG, VIETNAMESE AND KOREAN TO DO PRESENTATIONS AND EDUCATION IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. WE HAVE A LINK TO RESOURCES ON 2020CENSUS.GOV, SPOKANE COMPLETE COUNT COMMITTEE, WASHINGTON NON-PROFITS AND OTHERS LEADING UP TO THE CENSUS COUNT, APRIL 1, 2020. REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT STORIES - VOICES OF HOPE THIS MULTI-MEDIA PROJECT DEVELOPED OUT OF AWARENESS THAT STORIES EMPOWER AND HEAL. IN THE MIDST OF A CLIMATE OF HATE, TRUTH IN STORY CAN BRING HOPE, BUILDING UNDERSTANDING WHICH LEADS TO EMPATHY AND ACTS OF SOLIDARITY. REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT STORIES REMIND US OF OUR COMMON HUMANITY THAT WE NEED EACH OTHER TO BE COMMUNITY. STORIES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN MULTIPLE FORMATS, INCLUDING WRITTEN, AUDIO AND VIDEO ON OUR WEBSITE, TELEVISION, THE RADIO AND SOCIAL MEDIA.