Catholic Charities of TN - Refugee Services - Nashville

at 10 S 6th St, Nashville , 37206 United States

1. Social Services

refugeeservices@cctenn.org

Description

Refugee Resettlement is a humanitarian effort of the United States government and the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees in collaboration with national, state and local organizations. Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Inc. has been engaged in humanitarian aid to refugees since the agency was founded in 1962 when it was first asked to find foster homes for 43 Cuban refugee children. In 1972 at the request of the United States Catholic Conference, the agency’s Refugee Resettlement Program was formally established and primarily served refugees fleeing political turmoil in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. By 1995, over 10,000 refugees had received help through Catholic Charities. To date, services have been provided to refugees of many different faiths from more than 35 countries, though the majority of our current clients have been displaced from Bhutan, Burma, Iraq, Somalia, Eritrea, Cuba, DR Congo, Ethiopia and Sudan. Refugees are individuals who have had to leave their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution. Specifically, they are targeted because of their religious or political beliefs, their social standing or membership in a particular social class. Refugees must flee their countries to escape persecution or death, usually leaving with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They often live in refugee camps for years enduring harsh weather, small rations of food, and little or no health care or education. Refugees arrive in the United States with usually just a small duffle bag of belongings. Within just a few months, however, most refugees are completely self-sufficient. Through their hard work and drive to succeed, studies show that after ten years, refugees are as well off as native-born Americans.

General Info

Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program, the Middle Tennessee affiliate of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Migration and Refugee Services, provides core resettlement services to newly arrived refugee individuals and families. Once we receive notice of a family’s approaching arrival, we must secure and furnish an apartment where they will begin their new life. Relying almost totally on donations of gently used items from community members and corporate donors, these first homes are furnished with minimal but comfortable belongings. Case managers and sometimes already-established family members work with arriving refugees to complete critical tasks such as applying for Social Security cards and short-term benefits, receiving a medical screening and immunizations through Siloam Family Health Center, and enrolling adults in ESL and children in school. Our diverse staff comes from at least nine countries and speaks nineteen different languages, but we still depend heavily on volunteers to help clients with social and cultural adjustment. For some of our clients, everyday tasks such as navigating a city bus line, grocery shopping and cooking on a stove are completely new ventures. Our volunteers are invaluable in assisting with these lessons eventually leading to self-sufficiency. In addition to supporting their family, one of the foremost goals of newly arrived refugees is learning the English language. The Refugee English Program provides six pre-beginning and beginner level ESL classes at various locations around the Metro Nashville area. Working with local churches and organizations to make sure classes are in the neighborhoods where the majority of refugees live, certified ESL instructors meet with their classes for two hours twice a week. In addition, this program provides training and support material for volunteers who teach ESL in a one-on-one format with clients.

Company Rating

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Summary

Catholic Charities of TN - Refugee Services - Nashville is Nashville based place and this enity listed in Social Services category. Located at 10 S 6th St TN 37206.