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Tuesday, November 8, 2022 4 WNY Organizations Supporting Refugee Resettlement

Posted at 07:45h in BABEL, Community by

What Strange Paradise - Omar El Akkad - BABEL - Just Buffalo Literary CenterOmar El Akkad is an Egyptian-born author and journalist. He has reported on current events in places all over the world, including Guantanamo Bay and Afghanistan. This Thursday, November 10th, he will be participating in the BABEL author series at Kleinhans Music Hall. His featured book, What Strange Paradise, tells the story of 9-year-old Amir, an Syrian boy who washed up on a small island after the overcrowded ship he left home on tragically sank. Through his novel, El Akkad depicts the unfortunate harshness of the refugee experience, and the world-at-large, through the eyes of a child. Below is a list of local organizations that support refugee communities and newcomers to WNY.

 

Journey's End

Journey’s End Refugee Services

Journey’s End is a community-based organization that aims to help clients acclimate to independent life in WNY. With a particular focus on cultural competence and inclusion, Journey’s End caters its services to the needs of each individual. Their programs include support in finding employment, assistance registering for school, as well as resources for non-English speakers.

Looking for ways to help? Check out Journey’s End volunteer opportunities here.

International Institute of Buffalo

The International Institute of Buffalo

The International Institute of Buffalo believes that the city is made rich by its diversity. In addition to providing resettlement and employment opportunities to refugees and immigrants, this organization also aims to ensure that the native WNY community is adequately prepared to receive them. In an effort to forge connection, the Institute mentors ethnic community organizations and block clubs on inclusion, and hosts a quarterly meeting to discuss the needs of the immigrant and refugee communities.

Read the Institute’s Strategic Plan here.

Jericho Road Community Health Center

Jericho Road Community Health Center

Jericho Road Community Health Center was founded in 1997 by Dr. Myron and Joyce Glick. Their goal was to provide quality medical care to all people, without regard for their ability to pay. Since then, the center has also become a resource for refugees who have settled in Buffalo and are in need of a local doctor. Jericho Road also operates the Vive Shelter, which houses refugee families seeking asylum in the United States and Canada.

Learn about Vive Shelter’s campaign to expand here.

Justice for Migrant Families

Justice for Migrant Families of WNY

Justice for Migrant Families was founded in the wake of a 2016 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid that damaged both the workplaces and homes of 25 Mexican restaurant workers. The organization’s initial goal was to support these workers and their families, and it has since grown into a resource for the entire WNY migrant community. They provide shelter, legal and monetary assistance to migrants. They also protest the inhumane conditions in Batavia’s federal detention center.

Read recent press releases from Justice for Migrant Families here.