Agenda - 04-04-2017 - 6-a - Support for Local Immigrant and Refugee Population

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12 Refugee Support Center: Orange County Funding Request, March 10, 2017 Refugees coming to the United States face numerous challenges. Arriving in a new country with the loss of support from extended family and established cultural networks, they encounter significant obstacles. These include securing work and housing, accessing health care, mastering public transit, raising children in an unfamiliar culture and educational setting, and navigating the legal system. In addition, cultural and language barriers permeate every aspect of their lives, as do their experiences of severe trauma and struggle preceding and during the course of their flight. These barriers are met with a fierce determination to improve their lives and those of their children. Nonetheless, perseverance and resilience alone cannot offset all obstacles; and for many situations, refugees need guidance and assistance. The Refugee Support Center(RSC), the 2016 recipient of the North Carolina Peace Prize, is a 501 (c) 3, volunteer-based organization established in 2012 to serve and promote the self-sufficiency of over 1,100 refugees who now live in Orange County, North Carolina. Refugees are assisted with resettlement in their first three months by resettlement agencies which have cooperative agreements with the Department of State to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees. After 90 days, these agencies typically phase out their assistance to start working with other arrivals. It is following this 90-day period that our services are most often sought after and then accessed long term. Services scheduled on an ongoing basis include citizenship and English language instruction, as well as free lunch distribution to school age refugees during the summer. However, most refugees come to RSC on an "as needed"basis for a variety of services that include, but are not limited to: • accessing health care, social services and other community resources; • acquiring permanent residence (green cards), naturalization, derivative citizenship and/or family reunification status; • securing employment; • navigating educational systems, including preschool,public school, community college and adult education;