Shopping??? Why Yes I will.

A Look Inside a Shopping Trip to Deseret Industries

For the past five months I have had the privilege of accompanying our clients on a shopping trip to Deseret Industries (DI) located on SE 82^nd Ave. The information below is a glance at what the average trip entails as well as the barriers and laughter that weave themselves in the experience. 

Upon arrival at the DI store, our clients are briefed on what to expect. For many, this is the first clothing store they have walked into for quite some time. Furthermore, the main point we have to communicate is that this shopping trip is free for them, provided through the generosity of The Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The amount of money allowed depends on family size, need and what items they might require in addition to clothing. Once those minor topics are explained, the fun begins.

For many of our refugees, clothing and shoe sizes don’t match up to what we have come to know here in the United States. Depending on the country or regions from where they came, they may have different notions of how to gauge size. Therefore, trying to find out each client’s size has come to be a rather intriguing process.

I have seen the patented hold-it-up to-my-body method, the check-my-pants-tag method, and the rarely used method of using the dressing room to try the clothes on.  There is always laughter that breaks out when pants are way too small or shoes way too tight, or when the cart overflows or gestures are misinterpreted.

My time spent shopping with our clients has been one filled with a grateful outlook.

I have come to know a lot of the employees by name, and they have always greeted us with a smile and a helping hand, knowing full well that there will be many translations lost in the experience. Through Deseret Industries we have helped over 135 of our clients obtain necessary clothing, books and household supplies. We would like to thank them for their constant support and flexibility during the first year of our grant, and we look forward to working with them in the future.

If you are working with a family that needs clothing please feel free to give me a call at 503-688-2684. 

Happy New Year, 

Shane Young

Catholic Charities Comes Through for Refugee with Rare Medical Condition

On Wednesday, November 28^th, Refugee Resettlement’s own Brendon Robar was the featured speaker at Catholic Charities Donor Recognition Luncheon.  As a Case Manager, Brendon has worked with refugees from all over the world, including Iraq, Iran, Burma, Bhutan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Somalia.  Below is the text of his talk, describing how a recent arrival, a refugee from Iraq, needed and received care for a serious medical condition. 

I began working with the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement team 5 years ago as the donation coordinator. In that role I may have actually picked up furniture donations from some of you. Almost 3 years ago, I began working as a case manager. In this role I work with our refugee clients for a full 8 months, and sometimes longer. This gives me the blessing of getting to know them better. And I also get to do a whole lot more paperwork!

Refugee Resettlement officially began in 1951, when the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees established the definition of a refugee, which is someone who "is outside the country of his nationality because of a well-founded fear of being persecuted because of race, religion, nationality, or political opinion, and is unable to return to his country." That's a complicated way of saying that refugees are regular people who decided it was better to pack what they could carry on their backs and leave their own country than to risk what might happen to them if they stayed. It's hard to imagine a situation bad enough to force people to leave not just their homes and cities—but their countries! All the refugees we work with at Catholic Charities have their own reasons for why they left, but I'd like to share one story of a refugee who arrived to Portland three months ago.

Allow me to introduce you to Samer Ibrahim. Samer and I were actually born in the same year—but on opposite sides of the world. Samer was born in Iraq. Samer was also born with Hemophilia, a rare genetic disorder that prevents his blood from clotting. If Samer cuts himself a band-aid won't fix it. Like most people with Hemophilia, Samer didn't know he was different from any other kid until he was about 4 years old and had his first skinned knee. In Iraq, Samer couldn't get the specific medical care that's needed to treat Hemophilia. Without medication, his knee continued to bleed internally from that first playground accident destroying the cartilage and ligaments that hold the knee together.

If Hemophilia without medication wasn't bad enough, Samer lived in Bagdad. I've heard stories from people out of Bagdad that are surreal. A note is left on your door: it's a death threat from some militant faction. The note says you are friends with someone who is helping the US Army, and they will kill you and your family because of it. You may have a coworker who leaves from work to get lunch but never returns. Days later, his body is found on the side of the road. People can only take so much of this before they decide it's better to become a refugee. This tipping point came sooner for Samer than for others because of his Hemophilia. Samer fled Iraq when he was only twenty years old leaving his two brothers, sister and his parents behind. Many people fled Iraq because of war, but Samer might be the only refugee who fled because of war and Hemophilia. Samer had two reasons to flee, and so he has twice the hope for his new life.

Samer fled Iraq and made it to Lebanon where he was first scrutinized by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the CIA to make sure he wasn't a terrorist. Then, he attended cultural orientation sessions, had several medical screenings and signed a promissory note acknowledging that his airfare is a loan. Finally, Samer boarded an airplane for Portland, Oregon. When I saw Samer walk off the airplane here in Portland, the pain from his knees was visible on his face.

When refugees arrive with serious medical conditions, we know beforehand so we can prepare. I called the clinic and was given instructions on what we needed to do from day one to care for Samer. Less than 24 hours after Samer landed in the US, we had an appointment at OHSU where he got that specific medication he couldn’t get his whole life in Iraq.  Samer is not yet 30, but the doctors tell him he has the knees of someone in his 90’s.

Within a few weeks Samer had a consultation at OHSU to see if he is a candidate for knee replacement surgery.  In my car after the appointment, Samer told me that this knee surgery is his dream.  It’s wonderful when we get to see the hope that our clients bring with them fulfilled; and in Samer’s case it’s all happening so quickly!  Samer will have knee replacement surgery within the next two months!

I want to thank you for giving to the work of Catholic Charities. Because of you, Catholic Charities helps almost 300 refugees every year to resettle in Portland.  It’s a privilege to join together with you to welcome the stranger to our table, as Jesus welcomes us.

Holiday thoughts

We hope the Thanksgiving season is treating all of you well, and that you know how grateful we are for your passion and commitment to helping refugee families establish new lives in our community.

As we wind down this year, we’d like to take a moment to announce a few opportunities for our folks during the coming months.

ESL

Finally, we’re able to offer an English language class here in the Catholic Charities building for current and former refugee clients.  Entirely volunteer-run (led by TEFL student Heidi Moses and Jesuit Volunteer/AmeriCorps Member Shane Young), the class runs from 10:30-12:00 every Thursday morning—except Thanksgiving, of course.  Class is casual, with one-on-one conversation and instruction as well as group exercises.  Everyone has fun and the time seems to fly, with students leaving each class with a little more English and a lot more self-confidence.  Tell your families: we’d love to have them join us.  Unfortunately, there’s no child care, so we can only welcome adults.

Head Start

Volunteers working with younger children, please note: applications for local Head Start programs are now available in our office, as well as online.  There are three main Head Start agencies serving neighborhoods where our families live. Community Action Head Start serves families in Beaverton, Hillsboro and Lake Oswego; Albina Head Start provides services to people living within the Portland Public School district, while Mount Hood Community Head Start assists clients in East Multnomah County.

To get on the waiting list for Head Star, and Early Head Start services, a family needs to complete the application form and bring it, along with birth certification, immunization record, and verification of income to the designated site.  Shane is available to help with this process.  Give him a call if you need assistance:  503-688-2684.

Remember, refugees who start off in Head Start are instantly set up for a higher rate of success than those who enter the public school system without any prior schooling.

Happy Holiday!

Section 8 Housing Opening---First time in 6 Years!!!

ATTENTION ALL VOLUNTEERS:

This is a very important announcement/opportunity for any of the low income refugee families you work with.

Section 8 Opening:

Home Forward (formerly known as the Housing Authority) is pleased to announce that they are accepting waiting list applications for their Section 8 rent assistance program from November 1 through November 10, 2012. The application is very simple and can be filled out online, using any internet connected computer.

What is the Section 8 Rent Assistance Program?

The Section 8 program helps low-income residents afford rental homes and apartments at normal market rates. The Section 8 program currently provides rent assistance so that individuals and families pay only a portion of their income (usually one-third) for rent. The highly popular program has a waiting list that is only able to open up every few years. Applicants are then selected from the waiting list using a lottery system.   If selected, an individual or family can use their Section 8 voucher wherever a landlord will accept it.

For more details on the Section 8 rent assistance program, click the following link: www.homeforward.com.

SETTLING IN

My name is Shane Young and I am the new Jesuit Volunteer ( www.jvcnorthwest.org ) for the Refugee Resettlement program here at Catholic Charities. As the newness of this position starts to wear off and the full scale of my placement enters the horizon, I have paused to reflect on my experiences so far, as well as to introduce myself to you, our readers.

You’re From Where?

I come from the small, semi-rural town of Salem, Ohio and I currently call Gresham, Oregon my place of residence. This will be my second year as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest (for more information see link above). My first year led me to inhabit the coastal wilderness of Juneau, Alaska. As a Jesuit Volunteer in Juneau, I worked for Juneau Youth Services at a Residential Treatment Facility for adolescents ages 12-18 years old. Many of these youth were dealing with a wide range of behavioral and mental troubles. While there I was a behavioral health associate and spent my days interacting with the youth in various situations ranging from school work to treatment activities.It was an amazing experience and I continue to miss it each day.

Prior to embarking on my adventure into the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, I was a student at Wheeling Jesuit University, where I graduated in May of 2011 with a degree in International Studies. While studying and partaking in various service experiences, I was also a member of the Mens Soccer team, which is where my profound love of soccer has its roots. 

My passion for this job manifests itself from the many experiences I have had traveling internationally for school service trips and internships. I have had the opportunity to visit communities in El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Syria and Dubai to name a few and I continue to learn more about the abundance of culture in this world. 

I attribute my values and my ability to be where I am today to the many friends and mentors I have had throughout my college and high school years. I also want to acknowledge the impact my family has had on my travels and adventures, without all of you this wouldn’t be possible.

What Is It That You Do?

My job entails many day to day activities of Refugee Resettlement. As a Refugee Advocate I assist the wonderful Case Managers in the office with their multitude of work regarding our many new arrivals.

As of this moment I have been on the job for a hair over three weeks and I have been all over Portland and back. Here is a sneak peak of my experiences so far:

·         I was able to assist an Iraqi family of four in acquiring their Social Security Numbers, a valuable and mandatory step once they have arrived in the United States. I have also been able to help them with medical and transit training, by providing transport over the past two weeks. 

·         SHOPPING. I have had the absolute pleasure of accompanying eight different families over the past weeks to the Deseret thrift store, where we have been able to purchase much needed items including clothes, blankets and kitchenware. The thrill of helping a family provide for themselves is very hard to describe in words. 

·         Back 2 School. For the thousands of children in Portland, September 4^th was the first day of school. For those of us in the Refugee office, this meant the deadline was soon approaching. I have been busy helping our Child Advocate, Erin Carkner, schedule home visits to enroll children in our SAFRN program as well as to accompany families to the various local schools to complete the registrations. 

·         FOOD. Furthermore, I have been able to join an Iranian family for lunch (which was amazing) while also having the amazing opportunity to relax and enjoy hot tea and casual conversation with families in their own home.

Another part of my job is to be a helping hand for our volunteers who help with our refugee families. I will be a contact within the office in case our case managers are unable to attend to questions and I will also be lending a helping hand during our new volunteer orientations. Feel free to call my phone (503) 688-2684 or send me an e-mail with any questions, syoung@catholiccharitiesoregon.org.

As the year goes on, I am sure there will be many more stories and announcements coming your way. Thanks for taking a moment to learn a little about the “new JV”, a term frequently used in our office, and hopefully those of you reading won’t be strangers for long.

Summer's End

As the heat and festivities of a west coast summer come to an end, the fresh and new feeling of fall awaits. In all but a blink of an eye, swim trunks and BBQ’s turn into khaki shorts and Friday night football games. The children start their annual journey back to school as the oranges, reds and yellows start to appear on the trees. Here at Catholic Charities Refugee resettlement we are rebooting our systems from a busy summer and are “falling” (if you will) into another busy stretch lasting into our autumn months. So as we transition from season to season, let us fill you in on events to come (please see Updates below) while hoping you will come along for the ride.

UPDATE: Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement will be hosting a Volunteer orientation on Wednesday, September 5^th, 2012 from 5:30PM until 7:30 PM. The orientation will be held in our Clark Family Center Building (main office), located at 2740 SE Powell Blvd, Portland, OR. NEW and Experienced volunteers are invited to join this ever-evolving conversation about how to best help refugees transitioning to life in the greater Portland area. During the orientation, we will learn about the challenges newcomers face and the resources available to them. Furthermore, during the orientation there will be time to share your experiences, ask questions and seek suggestions while meeting other Volunteers. Most importantly this is a chance to connect to one another while having a bit of fun. If you cannot make this orientation, the next Volunteer orientation will be held in November. 

Please RSVP:  Jeanne Toal at jtoal@catholiccharitiesoregon.org or call 1(503) 688-2683.

Something else to keep an eye on: The Refugee Resettlement office has continued connections within the community to help out families who have concerns with clothing needs. If one of your families is in need of clothing for work, school or other similar situations, please contact myself, syoung@cartholiccharitiesoregon.org (1 (503) 688-2684 or Jeanne Toal (listed above) in our office for more information on the subject.

UPDATE: Erin Carkner, our child advocate in the Refugee Resettlement office is still looking for extra school supplies to help, specifically glue sticks. The children are always asked to provide glue sticks and currently we are running low on our supplies. So if you have any extra glue sticks lying around you may be able to help support the next Claude Monet or Vincent Van Gogh. 

Summer Program Success

We are entering the final week of our 2012 summer program for refugee children in elementary school. Time sure has flown by! We have been working with two great ESL teachers and 9 wonderful volunteers to help 28 newly-arrived refugee children develop their English and Math skills. Our hope is to prepare these children for school in the fall. But we don't just focus on academic instruction--we have fun too! Last week we even took a field trip to the zoo. 

During each week of the program we have focused on a different ecosystem to start conversations. So far we have discussed mountains, deserts, oceans, and grasslands. With each unit the children have learned different songs, read books and made art projects. A volunteer even came in to make paper bag puppets featuring animals from these ecosystems When we went to the Oregon Zoo we were able to show the children some of the animals they had been studying.

After lunch every day, we take the children outside to play on the playground, to jump ropes, and to participate in different organized sports (soccer is especially popular with the older kids). By now, every child knows enough English to ask a teacher for a push on the swing! Some days we have even done fun science projects (lots of foam and food coloring) with the older children.

All of the children seem really excited to start class each morning--for some of these children, it is their first time to ever attend school. Our volunteers have been a critical part of the program. With their help we are able to give each child individual attention to help them become accustomed to the idea of school rules and classroom instruction or to maintain what they have already learned in school earlier this year. It has been astonishing to see how much each child has improved in just the four weeks since the summer program began.

It will be tough to say bye to these children but it is great knowing that they are more ready to re-enter or begin school in the United States. Our summer program ends Thursday and we will be closing with a short talent show and an awards ceremony (which parents will be able to attend). Thanks again to our great teachers and volunteers who have made this program possible--we couldn't have done it without you!