Refugee Resettlement

How Rochester Has Helped Over 15,000 Refugees Since 1972

Around the world today, there are over 80 million people that are displaced from their homes, 26 million of those with refugee status. They have been forced to flee from their native country due to violence, conflict, and persecution. For many years’ violence has erupted or continued in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, leaving many people displaced or in exile.

Refugees that have fled their homes usually have no hope for a peaceful return to their homeland. Many refugees have no choice but to remain for years and sometimes decades in refugee camps, living precarious and despondent lives.

Family and Community Services is proud to play a part in helping refugees pursue their dreams. Our Refugee Resettlement programs offer a broad set of services that help refugees make the most of the fresh opportunities available to them in the Rochester community who for more than 100 years have welcomed them with open arms.

Now more than ever, it is time for our community to collectively work together to create a welcoming and inviting new home, providing a helping hand so that refugees too can find peace.

What the Program Offers

Our Refugee Resettlement Program equips newly arrived refugees with services, resources, training, and other supports that allow them to rebuild hopeful lives and pursue enriching opportunities in their adopted homeland. Working in close coordination with local service providers, ethnic organizations, faith communities and volunteers, our services address the needs of refugees in a holistic and culturally appropriate manner, supporting their successful integration, fostering their independence, and promoting their earliest possible self-sufficiency.

Refugee Resettlement

The majority of the small number of refugees resettled in Rochester in 2020 were Afghan, Burmese, Congolese & Ukrainian.

Our Refugee Resettlement Program provides intensive case management for newly arrived refugees from the date of their arrival through their first 90 days in country. Basic resettlement services include:

• Airport Reception
• Assistance securing safe, sanitary, and affordable housing
• Support for necessities such as food and clothing.
• Community and Cultural orientation
• Assistance obtaining social security cards
• School enrollment
• Employment assistance
• Referrals and assistance accessing services from medical, and public benefit agencies

In addition to resettlement services, we also offer enhanced and ongoing services to support former refugees as they acclimate to their new home in the US.

Refugee Resettlement

Rochester provided over 1500 volunteer hours of direct support to refugee clients in 2019.

Eligibility criteria

Our refugee clients are a distinct class of immigrants who are admitted to the U.S. because their circumstances satisfy the criteria for “refugee status”. U.S. immigration law defines refugees as those persons of special humanitarian concern who have fled their country of origin because they have suffered persecution or have a well-founded fear of persecution on account of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.

Once admitted, refugees are eligible to receive certain public benefits, are authorized to work, may obtain a green card, and can pursue a path to citizenship.

Of the over 80 million displaced people worldwide, only a small percentage (usually less than 1%) will be allowed entry into the U.S. this year. Those refugees fortunate enough to be chosen for resettlement in the U.S. must undergo a rigorous screening process. After numerous interviews, medical exams, background checks and cultural orientation, they may finally be deemed ready to travel to the U.S. and are assigned to a Refugee Sponsoring Agency such as Catholic Charities Family and Community Services.

Our Refugee Resettlement services are available to those refugee families referred to Family and Community Services for sponsorship by the national resettlement agency, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Family and Community Services may also offer some of its resettlement services to other immigrant classes who are deemed eligible by federal guidelines. Other immigrant classes that may be eligible for our services include:

• Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders
• Asylees
• Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking

4/29/22

As the war in Ukraine enters its third month, additional protection measures have been undertaken and clarified by the U.S. government as described below. At Catholic Charities Family and Community Services (CCFCS,) we will continue to develop local resettlement and/or immigration assistance programs in response to these governmental initiatives and with guidance from our immigration partners and national affiliates.

Our Immigration Program is offering the following services specific to Ukrainians:

Temporary Protected Status (TPS): Allows Ukrainians to stay and work in the United States until October 2023. You must be a Ukrainian national and have been in the United States on April 11, 2022 (newly revised date) in order to be eligible. Individuals who attempt to travel to the United States after April 11, 2022, will not be eligible for TPS. It can be expensive to apply for TPS, especially if you want to apply to work during your time in the country. NEW DEVELOPMENT: TPS applications are NOW being accepted by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS). More information from USCIS can be found here. If you believe you may be eligible and wish to pursue applying for TPS, please email Lidya Mukhin.

Family Reunification through Lautenberg Refugee Program: The Lautenberg program provides a pathway for members of historically persecuted religious groups from Ukraine to be reunited with family members already living in the U.S. This program has been re-authorized by the U.S government and we are presently accepting new applications and inquiries. If you believe your family members may be eligible and wish to pursue applying on their behalf, please email Lidya Mukhin.

For questions or assistance in either of these areas or for general Ukrainian immigration questions, please contact Lidya Mukhin at lmukhin@cfcrochester.org.

Uniting For Ukraine: As part of his pledge to welcome 100,000 persons fleeing from the war in Ukraine, President Biden announced on April 21, the Uniting for Ukraine program. Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States.

More information from USCIS can be found here.

Donations

We invite persons seeking to donate to the Ukrainian relief effort to consider these options:

• Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is an international organization operating under the Catholic Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas and responds in a variety of ways to major overseas emergencies.
• InterVol is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting the world’s neediest to materials, people, and opportunities.
• Contributions to our Refugee Resettlement program will help continue to fund the immigration support and resettlement services that we are being asked to provide.

Advocacy

For those seeking to advocate to our Government officials to extend protection options to Ukrainians displaced by the war, we suggest exploring information from our partnering agency Church World Service (CWS). CWS is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster. Click here, to learn of their latest advocacy efforts and how you can add your voice.

Enhanced and transitional services for refugees and their families beyond their initial arrival period.

Catholic Charities Family and Community Services offers ongoing assistance and support to refugees and their families as they settle into their new home and community in Rochester, NY. These services provide refugees with referrals, job skills, and general guidance on a variety of concerns including housing, medical & mental health services, public benefits, and crisis intervention.

AmeriCorps

We partner with AmeriCorps to conduct workshops and individual education on financial literacy, budgeting and financial responsibilities.

COVID19 Awareness and Education

COVID19 awareness and education through promotion of information on how to protect oneself from contracting the virus as well as vaccination information. We have translated important information on COVID and vaccines to languages appropriate within the Rochester refugee community.

Food Insecurity Grant

Family and Community Services is distributing funds from a Food Insecurity Grant through the end of October, 2021. Key support includes the provision of public market gift certificates and supplemental food purchases for those facing food insecurity.

Support to obtain a green card and pursuing a path to citizenship.

Our Immigration team includes Accredited Representatives authorized by the Department of Justice to provide counsel, intervention and official representation on immigration matters adjudicated by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).

Health Education

Health education on a variety of health topics, ranging from prescription medication to diabetes control through diet and exercise provided through workshops currently being held via zoom.

Medical Case Management

Provision of case management services (coordination of care with medical providers) for those who need medical/psychological service for one year from enrollment.

Parishes Organized to Welcome Immigrant and Refugees (POWIR)

Our staff coordinate with faith based communities to welcome immigrants and refugees by connecting volunteers to support acculturation into our community.

Project Golden Door

An education series on a variety of topics from how to buy a home, American holidays and any relevant topics to learn about American culture and assimilation. These classes are held via zoom and are offered bi-weekly.

STEPS (Striving Toward Employment Preparation & Self-sufficiency)

Our Resettlement team works in concert with our Workforce Development program providing refugees and other qualified immigrant clients the added benefits of intensive and extended case management and employment services that speed their progress toward self-sufficiency through job preparation training and placement in the local workforce. In lieu of support from welfare, enrolled clients are temporarily supported by financial assistance from CCFCS for a period of up to 180 days from their arrival date.