Posted on

40 Ways to Help a Refugee

These individuals have undergone tremendous difficulties and are starting over in a new country and culture.  While there are organizations that help them with a place to live and may even offer basic necessities, what they need is a friend and ally who can help them acclimate.  Could you:

  • Be a sincere friend
  • Reach out to people on the periphery
  • Take a stand against intolerance
  • Promote compassion and understanding
  • Make a visit
  • Get to know first hand what is really needed; don’t assume
  • Learn about the food, holidays, and traditions of others
  • Share a meal
  • Celebrate a holiday together
  • Invite someone to join your family night
  • Teach a new skill
  • Learn a new skill
  • Make introductions
  • Ask questions
  • Exchange ideas and experiences
  • Highlight strengths in other cultures
  • Speak to your town council about needed services
  • Forgive ofenses or misunderstandings and try again
  • Shop at locally owned businesses
  • Welcome new people to the neighborhood
  • Volunteer to teach a language
  • Defend others from bigotry
  • Learn kids’ names
  • Learn a sport
  • Teach a sport
  • Offer employment to someone unexpected
  • Visit people who are ill
  • Teach each other songs and jokes
  • Extend an invitation to a cultural event
  • Offer to babysit
  • Give a ride
  • Practice interviewing for a job
  • Donate household goods
  • Help children study
  • Act as a grandma or grandpa to someone whose family is far away
  • Volunteer with a local organization whose work you admire
  • Be a mentor
  • Find local solutions rather than relying on bureaucratic programs or funds
  • Recognize that time and relationships are more valuable than things
  • Don’t hesitate to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit

Download PDF:  40 Ways to Help

Posted on

Compassionate Communication Workshop

Requested by participants in WC’s recent refugee speaker series, this participatory workshop is derived from one of America’s most successful courses in effective communication – whether among family members, professional colleagues, or volunteers reaching across cultural divides.

Link to Prezi Content

View the entire RSA Animate video of Dr. Brene Brown on The Power of Empathy, or check it out in the context of her conversation with TEDx Houston on The Power of Vulnerability.

Posted on

Common Statistics from Refugee Services of Texas

  • 65.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide (2015)
  • 21.3 million refugees registered with UNHCR (2015)
  • Less than 1% of refugees are resettled
  • U.S. resettles 80% of refugees
  • TX is the #1 largest resettlement state
  • Refugee Services of Texas is the largest resettlement agency in Texas
  • Currently our clients are from Iraq, Afghanistan, Burma, Bhutan, Somalia, Syria, and the D. R. Congo

Download: PDF

Posted on

Security Screening Process for Refugees Entering the U.S.

This text is from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants web site:

Security Screening of Refugees Admitted to the United States: a detailed and rigorous process

Resettlement is considered a durable solution for refugees who cannot return to their countries of origin or integrate into the current countries that are hosting them. Resettlement to a country like the United States presents a life-saving alternative for a very small number of refugees around the world (less than one half of one percent). Refugees seeking resettlement in the United States must pass through a series of steps aimed at ensuring they will not pose a security risk to the United States.  Biographic and biometric information is examined to help confirm a refugee’s identity. The information is checked against law enforcement, intelligence community, and other relevant databases, including National Counterterrorism Center, Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of State, and Department of Homeland Security databases. A step-by-step overview of this process is detailed below.i

Continue reading “Security Screening Process for Refugees Entering the U.S.”