Refugee and Immigrant Connections Spokane

 

Started by a volunteer in July 2017,  Refugee Kids Connect is a no-cost academic support and enrichment program for kids ages 5-18. It is designed to offer activities for kids from families who have come to the US as refugees or immigrants. In the program, we encourage building friendships, confidence, future-thinking, and leadership skills through activities with a focus on arts, sports, outdoors, and academics. We also support with English language skills and offer homework help. Call our office to learn more or refer. 

 

The Refugee Elders Services 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; elder service workshops; civic-oriented "Settling Into Spokane" field trips; training in the use of public transportation; and nutrition education. Call our office to learn more or refer. ​

 

The Promoting Refugee Integration, Mobility and Empowerment (PRIME) Program is a government-funding program that promotes self-sufficiency of recently arrived refugees after their initial resettlement. RICS currently offers case management and short-term services to recently arrived families and individuals from Afghanistan. 

RICS takes the lead in coordinating with about a dozen other local organizations to host a community-wide celebration of local refugees for the annual United Nations World Refugee Day. The event includes traditional foods, hand-made crafts, customary dances, and a citizenship swearing in ceremony.

*COMING SOON* The Welcome to Spokane program is currently under development. The program has two parts: a local resource and family activity guide and a city tour. Both the guide and the city tour will connect participating families to relevant, essential resources as well as accessible and affordable places for families, teens, and young adults to connect with their new community. 

*COMING SOON* RICS is developing the Refugee and Immigrant Wellness program. The Trauma-Informed Approach is a key tenet of the program, which will support the overall health of individuals who will participate in the program, including emotional and social health, and healing from trauma. ​

 

RICS created and now distributes health-record booklets for refugees and immigrants to bring with them to the emergency room and doctors' offices. Each booklet is in English and one of many different translated languages. Patient Passports help people with limited English skills to communicate with health care providers to enhance their health and well-being. 

Refugee and Immigrant Stories: Voices of Hope is a multi-media storytelling project designed to engage the whole community in education around refugee and immigrant issues from first hand knowledge from community leaders. We intend the stories to be audio, video, written, to be available on a variety of social media and media platforms.