Cradles to Crayons

We recently were registered as a partner with a very exciting organization in Quincy, Massachusetts. Their organizational structure seemed simple and extremely effective.

On their website, they describe their vision as follows:

By connecting communities that have plenty with communities that need. The immediate result is that tens of thousands of children living in low-income families get great everyday supplies such as clothing, shoes, books, school supplies, or toys. We have built a platform for a better community by being a year ‘round avenue for neighbors of all ages to "do something", to get involved and give back and in the "doing" create change. We call it “tangible philanthropy”. Get ready to roll up your sleeves!

We hope to connect this resource to our clients, to provide them with necessities we could never provide before. Thank you Cradles to Crayons!

Planning for August and beyond: Assistance needed

August is going to be a busy month here at RIAC. We are expecting ten families from Burma/Myanmar and several people from Burundi.

When refugees arrive in Boston, Lynn or Worcester, RIAC is responsible for providing them with an apartment, with basic necessities (furniture, linen, clothing, kitchen wares and a few days worth of food, etc).

We are looking for new and innovative ways to provide for our families' needs. If you have resources or goods, either in your own home or your place of work, please consider assisting families who have just arrived to the United States. Here are some examples of how you can help:

1) Gift cards for stores like Stop 'n Shop and Walmart, so that we can provide exactly what a specific family needs without going beyond our own budget. Do you work for a store with household or grocery items? Ask them if they would consider donating a few gift cards.

2) Providing company or personal donations that could be used for gift cards or the purchase of furniture.

3) Are you moving house? A great way to help would be to donate your used but adequate furniture, particularly if you have a means of transportation.

4) Do you have access to a van? Could you help us by loaning us you van, or even to transporting things yourself, to furnish apartments?

Thank you for your continued support. Making individuals feel welcome as they transition into a completely new environment is one of the most tangible things our organization does. If any of the above applies to you, call Jo at (617) 238 2435

Making a Difference in 2006/2007

1) During the past year, we have provided resettlement services to refugees from all over the world, including refugees from Eritrea, Liberia, Somalia and Vietnam.

2) We have continued to translate for Somalis in the Boston area, as well as in Lynn and Worcester.

3) We fulfilled our goal of increasing collaboration with other organizations in Massachusetts.

4) We continued to bring together the Somali community for important events, in order to create for discussing difficult issues

5) Through collaboration and community events, we were able to better serve our elders by identifying nad responding to their needs.

Somali Youth Programs

Maryan Gure, the case manager of Somali Youth Programs, tutors students one-on-one and teaches financial planning and job searching. We are involved in outreach to students, who we refer to the African Community Economic Development of New England (ACEDONE). Our goal is to empower parents by providing the tools they need to understand and facilitate their childrens' learning. Our objective was to improve parents' knowledge of school policies through outreach and communication in Somali.

Promoting a Healthy Community: Domestic Violence and HIV/AIDS Prevention

This year RIAC organized a discussion group about domestic violence issues in the Somali community. Our staff discussed about how to empower the community and inform them about domestic violence. We created a space in which Somali women could discuss this problem openly, facilitating a free flow of information about the resources available for the victims of domestic violence. In the process, we emphasized the health resources available to refugees and immigrants in the greater Boston area.

Together with the Multicultural AIDS coalition and Africans for Improved Access, RIAC facilitated basic risk assessment of HIV/AIDS in the community. Teenagers reported that our programs over the past year helped to decrease stigma around HIV/AIDS, and increase discussion and access to HIV testing.

Bringing People Together: Somali National Week

RIAC held the fifth Somali National Week celebrations at the end of June 2006 bringing together one hundred and twenty people! Looking back on the year past, we celebrated the triumph of five community members who graduated from college, including Fadumo Maow, who is a grandmother.

It was also a time of reflection and education: eighteen teenagers had the opportunity to watch In Our House, an educational documentary about HIV/AIDS. The community mourned the loss of Abdi Rauf who was shot and died Jun 23, 2006 at the age of nineteen.

Bringing Together Youth and Elders in the Somali Community

This past year, in collaboration with other organizations that serve refugees, we identified and addressed the need for Somali elders to have opportunities get out of their houses and have more interpersonal contact. Rahma Farah facilitates outreach programs to elders’ homes. In collaboration with the Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, RIAC has worked to provide a Personal Care Attendant Program to connect Somalis to the general population and increase knowledge of the services available to elders. In collaboration with the Central Boston Elder Service, RIAC has facilitated meals delivered to the home, homemaker services and social activities to improve the well-being of seniors.

Coming to Belong in Boston: Citizenship and Social Services

Many refugees apply for citizenship after arrival in the US. RIAC’s program director has been helping applicants with the citizenship application process this past year. RIAC has tutored clients in preparation for the citizenship examination, and accompanied individuals for the immigration interview.

Due to our relationship with the Somali community, a large portion of our work involves assisting Somali refugees in medical and social service meetings, both as interpreters and cultural brokers. In order to help Somali refugees and immigrants access needed services in the Boston area, we also translate information designed to educate and improve access to health and social services.

Newcomers from around the world make Boston their home

One of the most important dimensions of our organization over the past year has been the resettlement of newly arrived refugees. During their first eight months in the country, in partnership with Massachusetts Refugee Resettlement Program, new arrivals receive intensive support including cash assistance, job training, medical care, and English language training.

New arrivals hail from all over the world, including families from Russia, Egypt, Sudan and Somalia. From welcoming a family at the airport to helping individuals to find employment we facilitate new refugees’ paths to self-sufficiency in this new Boston environment. This past year, we have resettled refugees in Boston and Worcester. RIAC’s goal is to help refugees to find a new home in Massachusetts.