Volunteers Serve Refugees and Immigrants at the 2015 Lutheran MLK Day of Service!

On January 19, 2015, volunteers from all over metro Atlanta honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by serving immigrants and refugees! The Lutheran MLK Day of Service was a huge success. Here's the breakdown:

VOLUNTEERS

218 individual volunteers came out to serve from 14 volunteer groups and congregations, including:

• Generation On/Mark It Up Leadership Team
• St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Decatur
• Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Atlanta
• St. John's Lutheran Church, Atlanta
• Blessed Assurance Church of God in Christ (COGIC)
• CD Owens District (COGIC) Youth Department
• Cross of Life Lutheran Church, Roswell
• Christ the King Lutheran Church, Peachtree Corners
• Atlanta University Center Lutheran Campus Ministry
• Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Atlanta
• Candler School of Theology/Emory University
• Girl Scout Troup 13491
• Rock of Ages Lutheran Church
• Helping Mamas

DONATIONS

The Lutheran MLK Day of Service received many generous donations, including:

• Over 3600 pounds of rice packaged as "welcome food" for refugee families
• 10 boxes of gently used children's books donated to children in the Clarkston refugee community
• Clothing, diapers, strollers, and Pack 'n Plays for 30 refugee families with babies and young children, donated by Helping Mamas.

SERVICE

Volunteers participated in several service projects:

• Volunteers packaged rice into family-sized bags of "welcome food" for newly arrived refugee families.
• Volunteers read books to children in daycare in Clarkston's refuge community.
• Volunteers sorted children's books to be distributed to children in Clarkston's daycare centers and schools.
• Volunteers wrote letters of compassionate support to 13 immigrants in detention centers across Georgia.

THANK YOU!

LSG would like to thank all 218 of our generous volunteers for coming out and serving with us. A special thanks goes out to:

• Gene Lewis--Lutheran MLK Day of Service event organizer
• Our Event Co-Sponsors: Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Lutheran Theological Center in Atlanta; and the Women of the ELCA
• Rock of Ages Lutheran Church for donating their space and 1000 pounds of rice
• Helping Mamas, for collecting, sorting, and donating clothing, diapers, strollers, and Pack 'n Plays for refugee children
• LSG staff who helped organize and lead the event

For more photos from the Day of Service, visit our Facebook page. Volunteers also shared their motives for serving immigrants and refugees. Click here to see what they had to say.

Help LSG Feed Refugees at the Lutheran MLK Day of Service

Each year, at the Lutheran MLK Day of Service, individuals, congregations, and community groups come together to serve refugees through service projects, including Rice for Refugees. Have you ever wondered why Lutheran Services of Georgia collects rice? The Rice for Refugees project is one crucial way that LSG welcomes refugee families to the United States. After fleeing persecution, conflict, and other dangerous situations in their home countries, most refugees arrive in the U.S. with little more than the clothes on their backs. LSG provides refugees with food, shelter, clothing, cultural information, and other support during their early days in the United States. Rice is considered a staple food in many countries throughout the world, and is a central part of the diets of many refugees. When you donate rice to LSG, you are quite literally feeding those who might otherwise go hungry.

On January 19, 2015, volunteers at the Lutheran MLK Day of Service will donate and pack rice into 5-pound bags to be given to newly arrived refugees. LSG needs lots of rice to ensure that all of our refugees are fed, so please bring as much rice as you are able.

Other Lutheran MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunities include sorting new or gently used children's books, reading to refugee children, and writing letters of compassion to immigrant detainees at non-citizen detention centers. LSG will also be accepting donations of new and gently used children's books. Click here to RSVP for any of our service projects.

If you are unable to attend the Day of Service, but would still like to donate rice or children's books, donations will be accepted at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church (5135 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083) from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday, January 16 and Sunday, January 18. For more information on donations, or to arrange a drop-off, please contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org or 678-686-9619.

To see photos from last year's Lutheran Day of Service, click here.

La Iglesia Delivers Gifts to Refugees!

By Aubrey Murillo, Safe Release Program Assistant at LSG and member of La Iglesia en Johnson Ferry

Members of La Iglesia en Johnson Ferry had the privilege of participating in Hope Tree for the first time this year. Our goals for participating were twofold. We wanted to tangibly show God's love to families who were truly in need. Also, we wanted our congregation that is comprised of immigrants to learn more about the refugee community that is in our very own backyard!

In preparation for delivering the coat, we turned to the internet to find basic greetings and phrases in Nepali in order to try and communicated with the families from Bhutan. We were all nervous to deliver the coats, but excited about the opportunity to bless each family member and learn more about our new friends from Bhutan. "Namaste," which means both hello and goodbye, was the extent of our Nepali, yet with that simple word, doors were opened as cultural and language barriers toppled.

Through our broken English, attempts at Nepali, and the adult daughter of the family's efforts to translate the conversation, we were able to welcome a family of six to the United States. The members of our congregation started to realize the plight of this refugee family and really identified with this family, as they too are immigrants to the United States. It was incredible to hear them share their own stories: "Welcome to the U.S. We arrived here 12 years ago...4 years ago...", etc. They remember their own feelings of hope, fear, and the unknown as we wished this family peace and hope in their new life in the United States.

Our members were so interested in the different cultures in Clarkston that we stayed in the area to try different kinds of foods and learn more about the people who live there. It was a great day of learning for our members. They discovered that their own experiences are much like that of a refugee. They experienced Clarkston and some of its many cultures and people. They learned that a smile is multi-lingual. Many are asking when we can return to Clarkston! Thank you, LSG, for the opportunity to bless and to be a blessing.

For information on how you or your congregation can get involved with Refugee and Immigration Services, contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org.

Bikes for Savannah Refugees

Earlier this November, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign generously donated bicycles to Lutheran Services of Georgia's Savannah refugee clients. Formed in March 2008, the Savannah Bicycle Campaign is a nonprofit, membership-based organization working to build a better Savannah through advocacy, education, and encouraging biking.

LSG worked closely with the SBC to ensure that all bikes were the right size for the refugees. The bikes came equipped with all necessary safety equipment--lights, reflectors, and helmets. Before receiving their bicycles, the refugees participated in a brief safety orientation and took their bikes on some trial runs at the SBC office. After everyone was feeling comfortable, those that lived nearby rode their bikes home.

The refugees are using their bicycles to get around Savannah, traveling to the library to apply for jobs, running errands, and getting to and from work. LSG thanks the Savannah Bicycle Campaign for supporting refugees in Savannah.

For more photos of the refugees and their bikes, check out our Facebook page.

LSG Hosts Orientation for Fostering Unaccompanied Children

On Thursday, October 30, 2014, Lutheran Services of Georgia hosted an orientation for individuals interested in opening their homes to unaccompanied migrant children. In response to outreach efforts in LaGrange, several families came out to LaGrange Memorial Library to learn more about becoming short-term, transitional foster homes for this vulnerable population.

The evening began with snacks and introductions. Gayle Cruz, LSG’s Specialized Foster Care Recruiter, and Anton Flores, co-founder of LaGrange’s Alterna, presented on short-term foster care. Attendees watched a video explaining the conditions that cause unaccompanied children to flee their countries of origin and the treacherous journeys they make to the United States. Afterwards, LSG gave out packets of information including applications to begin the foster care training process. Five families expressed interest in becoming short-term foster homes, and two families have already taken the first steps to begin training.

LSG is collaborating with other LaGrange area organizations and ministries to create safe, welcoming foster homes and a supportive community for unaccompanied children. A local recreational center has offered to provide space for the trainings and for family gatherings once the children have arrived. LSG is grateful to community partners, including the LaGrange Memorial Library, for their support.

LSG is currently determining the next location in metro Atlanta and the surrounding areas where foster homes for unaccompanied children will be developed. Prospective foster families must undergo a three-stage approval process involving orientation, training, and a thorough family assessment. The approval process takes three to four months to complete. LSG expects to begin receiving children from the Office of Refugee Resettlement in February 2015. Families with one bilingual adult are preferred, but those without will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a foster home, contact Gayle Cruz at gcruz@lsga.org or 404-207-0131.

You're Invited to the LSG Careers and Connections Launch!

Careers and Connections Saturday, October 18, 2014 Clarkston Community Center 3701 College Ave Clarkston, GA 30021 4:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Click to RSVP.

Lutheran Services of Georgia was recently selected to pilot Careers and Connections, a refugee career mentoring program with Higher, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service's national employment initiative. Please join us for the Launch Event to learn more about becoming a professional mentor or refugee mentee in LSG's newest program. Careers and Connections aims to support long-term career advancement for refugees and deepen social connections between refugees and their communities. LSG will recruit 30 mentors and 30 refugees to commit to weekly meetings for at least three months. Mentors will act as a job coach, equipping the refugee to develop skills, identify career goals, and create a plan to reach those goals.

Upon arrival in Georgia, refugees often face significant barriers to community integration. Language skills and difficulties navigating the institutions and customs of a new culture can leave refugees vulnerable to marginalization. Through mentoring relationships, this program connects refugees and long-term local residents who can work together to build a more cohesive and vibrant community.

You can RSVP online to attend at bit.ly/CareersConnectionsLaunch. If you're not able to attend but would like more information on serving as a Careers and Connections mentor or mentee, please contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org or 678-686-9619.

Click to download our Launch Invitation.

"Laws Aren't Perfect" - A Call to Mercy, Pt. 4

For two weeks, Honduran-born U.S. immigration attorney Killa M. will share her reflections on life in Honduras and on showing mercy to unaccompanied children in "A Call to Mercy", a four-part LSG blog series. Click to read parts one, two, and three.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Lutheran Services of Georgia

When people tell me that unaccompanied children broke the law and, as such, should not be shown mercy, I tell them that laws aren’t perfect and they don’t always reflect current societal realities. There are very few forms of immigration relief available for these minors. One of them is asylum. To succeed in an asylum claim, a person must show a well-founded fear of persecution based on a protected ground such as race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group (an ever-changing concept that is applied differently depending on the justice circuit where the case is being heard). The person must demonstrate that they are unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin, or that they are unable or unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country. This seems like a straightforward concept, but that could not be further from the truth. I could write a dissertation on the complexity of American asylum law, but suffice it to say, our current asylum policy was not drafted to deal with the kind of generalized violence that now reigns in Honduras. To quote the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Delgado Ortiz v. Holder, “Asylum is not available to victims of indiscriminate violence, unless they are singled out on account of a protected ground.” So what can you do when your life is constantly in danger for any reason, or no reason at all?

The limited availability of asylum is reflected in the fact that in 2013, only 3.9 percent of the Honduran asylum claims that came before U.S. Immigration Courts were granted. Seems like an awfully small percentage given that it is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

Even when you present a prima facie case in the U.S. legal system, it is not guaranteed that the law will be applied properly. For example, my brother, an attorney working closely with my mother, sought asylum in the U.S. after our mother was murdered. He presented evidence of the murder and of the fact that, since our mother’s death, he had been followed and harassed on multiple occasions. He also presented documentation from the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights requesting that the Honduran government investigate the murder and provide protection to my brother. He presented the Honduran government’s response that it was unwilling and unable to provide that protection. He presented affidavits from prosecutors, judges, security experts, and fellow attorneys testifying that he would surely suffer harm if he remained in Honduras. He asked the U.S. Military Attaché assigned to Honduras to testify to the violent living conditions in Honduras. Finally, he presented evidence that, in 2013 alone, 53 attorneys had been murdered in Honduras. His case was denied because, among other reasons, “[he] had failed to show that any future harm [he] feared is on account of one of the protected characteristics.” If an educated adult, with an objective fear of death, hundreds of pages of evidence, and adequate legal counsel was unable to receive this form of relief, how do you think an unaccompanied child will fare in the U.S. legal system?

For these reasons, I beg you not to turn a blind eye to what is happening at the border with these children. I don’t know exactly how to solve the crisis in Honduras or how to reform immigration laws to ensure protection of these children while slowing the influx of arrivals. I have some ideas, but that is a conversation for another day. For now, I know that we, as Christians, are responsible for showing mercy to these young kids who have already seen more tragedy than most people ever will in their entire lives. There are many ways to help, from volunteering to foster an unaccompanied child to writing a letter to your Senator about the issue. Whatever you do, don’t remain silent.

If you have questions about this blog series or for Killa, please contact Abi Koning, Communications Coordinator, at akoning@lsga.org.

"Why You Should Care" - A Call to Mercy, Pt. 3

For two weeks, U.S. immigration attorney and Honduran native Killa M. will share her reflections on life in Honduras and on showing mercy to unaccompanied children in "A Call to Mercy", a four-part LSG blog series. Click to read part one and part two.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Lutheran Services of Georgia.

I’m not a sociologist, nor have I studied the development of violent crime as an academic subject. If you’re reading this article, chances are you’re already aware that Honduras is known as the “Murder Capital of the World”. According to the most recent UN study, the murder rate in Honduras is 90 out of 100,000 people. In second place by a large margin is Venezuela with 43 per 100,000 people. By comparison, the rate in the U.S. is currently close to 5 per 100,000 people.

Nevertheless, I’m not writing this article to give you an in-depth analysis of all the factors contributing to the violence that might cause a child to migrate. All I am offering is my personal experience: what I’ve lived through, what I’ve seen, and the stories of my friends, family, and those I serve. I wrote this article to help you understand why children arriving at our doorsteps need mercy, and why you should care. Should people in the United States share responsibility for the fact that the Honduran government is corrupt and the country overrun by drug lords? Should Americans take some responsibility for the fact that people’s lives are at risk in Honduras? It is noteworthy that the United States is the world’s largest consumer of cocaine and a major consumer of many other drugs. Every ounce snorted by Americans is tainted with the blood of innocent people that die because that garbage is trafficked through our land. However, that is just one factor, albeit a significant one, that drives violence in Honduras. Yet I believe that, if you are a follower of Christ, your reaction should not hinge on whether or not you had “anything to do with” causing the violence. Instead, if you are a follower of Christ, you should desire to be merciful like our Father is merciful.

God is not impressed with our lofty acts of sacrifice, or how often we go to church, or how many hours we spend in prayer. In Hosea 6:6, God tells us that he desires mercy, not sacrifice. Near and dear to God’s heart especially are the widow, the orphan, and the alien. James 6:27 explains that “pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” Moreover, Deuteronomy 10:18 says of God: “He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.”

It is appalling to me that people in the church would remain silent in the face of such injustice and distress. It’s shocking to see people who claim to be followers of Christ traveling to the border to yell unwelcoming and insulting words at children. Many people come to me and say, “But they broke the law! Doesn’t God command us to obey our local authorities?” To answer that question, I look at the Bible and the U.S. legal system. While Romans 13 does command Christians to abide by the law, this commandment cannot be taken out of context. In all of history there have been laws all over the world that fall short or are contrary to God’s law. Let’s remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—three law breakers who refused to bow down to an egotistical king because it went against God’s command to worship no one aside from him. You cannot ignore God’s law simply to honor human-made laws.

Check back on Thursday, September 25, for part four of "A Call to Mercy". Click to read part one and part two. If you have questions about this blog series or for Killa, please contact Abi Koning, Communications Coordinator, at akoning@lsga.org.

"Even a Child Knows it's Better to Leave" - A Call to Mercy, Pt. 2

For two weeks,Honduran-born U.S. immigration attorney Killa M. will share her reflections on life in Honduras and on showing mercy to unaccompanied children in "A Call to Mercy", a four-part LSG blog series. To read part one, click here.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Lutheran Services of Georgia.

As a grieving daughter, I know the horror that children coming to the U.S. from Central America are escaping. Through my work within the immigration field, I have heard stories from children who have come to the U.S. after seeing their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends raped, beaten, and murdered.

I’ve listened to a young lady tell me how she heard her neighbors being hacked to death. The next morning, she found the pieces of their bodies stuffed into their old television set. Another young man recounted the story of his brother being beaten in the streets and ultimately killed in front of him because he refused to join a gang. One of my closest friends suffered the loss of her cousin, a bright young woman who was just starting med school. She was murdered after resisting a kidnapping attempt. Last year, while visiting my family members in Honduras, my sister received a death threat which forced us to go into hiding. We left the country the very next day. My brother, also an attorney, was constantly followed and harassed to the point where he feared for his life and came to the U.S. seeking asylum. One of my Honduran friends put his hopelessness into words: “I would rather have been born a dog in any other place than a man in this forsaken country.” In our country, no one knows, no one hears, no one investigates, and no one is held responsible.

Currently, people in Honduras endure levels of violence that people in the U.S. would not tolerate for even a single day. In 2008, three years prior to the attack that led to her death, my mother was shot, but she survived. After that attack, she hired a bodyguard, which served no purpose other than to add to the death toll that horrible November afternoon. Like her, many in Honduras who can afford to do so will hire bodyguards and buy bullet-proof vehicles, just like in a war zone, and hope for the best. It’s a sad sight to see a 12-year-old walking through the mall with her friends, followed by armed men in bullet-proof vests. What kind of life is that? And what about those who live in poverty, who can’t afford to keep their children safe? The violence doesn’t discriminate. It’s obvious; even a child know it’s better to leave.

Check back on Tuesday, September 23, for part three of "A Call to Mercy". To read part one, click here. If you have questions about this blog series or for Killa, please contact Abi Koning, Communications Coordinator, at akoning@lsga.org.

"I Am One of the Lucky Ones" - A Call to Mercy, Pt. 1

For the next two weeks, Honduran-born U.S. immigration attorney Killa M. will share her reflections on life in Honduras and on showing mercy to unaccompanied children in "A Call to Mercy", a four-part LSG blog series.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Lutheran Services of Georgia.

I came to the United States from Honduras on a student visa when I was 17 years old, just a month shy of my 18^th birthday. I wanted to get the best college education so I could return home and work in the Honduran tourism industry or perhaps at the “Cancillería” (Ministry of Foreign Affairs). I wanted a job that would allow me to share my country’s beauty and potential with the world.

My mother always reminded me that, after graduation, I was to return to Honduras and use my foreign-acquired skills to benefit my home country. However, a few weeks before she was murdered, while I was in my second year of law school, she told me something she had never said before: “Stay where you are. Don’t come back to this country. There is nothing left here for you.”

My mother, Judith Aleman Banegas, was a well-respected attorney. During her 30-year-long career as an attorney she successfully took on all kinds of cases, from child custody disputes to complex international business transactions. Anyone who knew my mother recognized that she possessed a brilliant legal mind. As a woman in a very chauvinist society, my mother was nevertheless able to excel and surpass most men in her field. Her intelligence was overshadowed only by her humility and kindness.

My mother loved nothing more than to help individuals with no access to the limited Honduran legal system. Consequently, she fought for the rights of low-income women and their children. She was the kind of person who would watch the evening news and be so moved by someone’s plight that she would call the news station and offer her services pro bono. She was a fierce advocate for transparency in the courts and was openly critical in the media about corrupt government officials who manipulated and abused the legal system.

To this day, I don’t know who killed my mother. I have no idea who ordered or paid to have her killed. All I know is that, on the afternoon of November 7, 2011, five heavily armed men intercepted her car. They killed my mother, her bodyguard and her secretary. My mother left me and my two siblings behind. Her bodyguard had two kids. Her secretary was a single mother of a 9-month-old baby girl.

If you feel bad for me, don’t. I am one of the lucky ones. I didn’t see my mother die. I didn’t hear her scream. I was never harassed or beaten. I didn’t have to walk the streets of my neighborhood wondering when my turn to die would come. Many of the children fleeing to the U.S. from Honduras are not as lucky as I am.

Check back on Thursday, September 18, for part two of "A Call to Mercy". If you have questions about this blog series or for Killa, please contact Abi Koning, Communications Coordinator, at akoning@lsga.org.

LSG's 2014 Heroes: R.N.C. Industries

 

Each year, Lutheran Services of Georgia honors community heroes at the annual Heroes of Hope, Healing, and Strength Gala! On Thursday, September 25, 2014, LSG will honor Lutheran leaders Rev. Darrel and Mary Peterson, community leader Erroll B. Davis, and business leader R.N.C. Industries. For more information about the Gala, click here.

R.N.C. Industries has been in business since 1990. It was founded by Larry Clark. In 1995 Charlotta Clark joined Larry at R.N.C. and the business was incorporated. They have moved from being a very small business, to a company that employs almost 70 people.

R.N.C. produces one of the highest quality shipping containers on the market. Control Temp Packaging is used to ship all types of temperature sensitive products from blood and vaccines, to chocolates and cheesecakes. We strive for customized, high quality service and products for each of our customers.

Beyond providing excellent products to our customers, R.N.C. is committed to giving back to the community.

R.N.C. is named for the son of Larry and Charlotta Clark, Ralph Noye Clark, who passed away at age 5 from pediatric cancer. With the growth over the past 24 years, R.N.C. is now thrilled to be able to give to Camp Sunshine, an organization that organizes programs for children with cancer and their families. Taylor Clark, the Vice President of Marketing, and Maria Cornejo, the Human Resources Manager, are also volunteers for Camp Sunshine.

R.N.C. plans to continue the tradition of excellence in all realms of business, making a wonderful work environment for employees, providing only the best for our customers, and giving back to the community.

LSG Hosts Summit For Our Children

On August 12, 2014, Lutheran Services of Georgia hosted the Summit For Our Children. Organized by the Alterna Community and convened by Alterna co-founder Anton Flores-Maisonet, the Summit For Our Children was a compassionate, just, and timely response to the crises of unaccompanied children and the children of immigrant parents, especially mothers, who are detained or deported.

Representatives of eleven groups and organizations traveled to downtown Atlanta to exchange resources and ideas for responding to the needs of migrant children. Participants included Access to Law Foundation, Alterna, Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment, Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services, Covenant House of Georgia, Dekalb County Schools, DHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Jubilee Partners, Lutheran Services of Georgia, and Welcoming America.

LSG’s President and CEO Floyd R. Blair welcomed the participants and Anton shared his motivations for organizing the summit. Through showing hospitality, the Alterna Community is intimately connected with the struggles of immigrants in the United States. Anton expressed that, over the past several years, Alterna has become increasingly concerned with how current immigration policies harm vulnerable families and children. He wanted to bring together passionate, concerned people to develop a cohesive response to this crisis.

Each group described their current work with and knowledge of migrant children. What emerged was a picture of the diverse array of services already available, including legal representation and consultations for unaccompanied children, short-term and long-term foster care, alternatives to detention, houses of hospitality for immigrants and refugees, local and national advocacy efforts, trauma services, and more.

Attendees formed three discussion groups to explore opportunities for collaboration. Together, they brainstormed ways to educate the community about migrant children, provide housing and support services, and mobilize faith-based and other communities for action. Each group presented their ideas and began making the necessary plans to make those ideas a reality.

Participants in the Summit For Our Children recognized that responding effectively to the needs of vulnerable populations requires continued dialogue and collaboration. LSG thanks Anton Flores-Maisonet and the Alterna Community for bringing together groups and organizations committed to supporting migrant children.

Click here to see more photos from the Summit.

Jessie Visits Refugee Communities in New Delhi - Part 3

Jessie Griggs Burnette, a former LSG resettlement intern and current volunteer, recently spent time with refugees in New Delhi, India. Jessie is currently studying for her Master’s in Anthropology at Georgia State University. On our blog, Jessie is writing a three-part mini-series based on excerpts from her journal. Read her third post below.

Important Note: This trip to India was not for publishable research. This was a personal voyage to meet a group of people that I knew were in need of help and attention. This blog post is, literally, a glimpse into my personal diary. It isn’t meant for publication or academic use. It is simply a raw reflection of my experiences. I am often asked about my own feelings as I travel and work abroad. I feel that by sharing my own feelings and thoughts with the public, I may be able to convince others to take risks – to face their fears.  It is easier than one may think to travel, learn, and help. Everywhere I go, I am met by kind and generous people, always protecting and guiding me. Others can do the same.  I want to be a voice for those who can’t use their own. Sharing my personal experiences within a community waiting for resettlement is one way I can do so.

“As I sat surrounded by refugees, for a single moment, I had a fleeting thought. I stared into the small crowd, and felt like a false advertiser. I felt as if my simple presence was making a false promise that I couldn’t uphold. I felt sure that they thought I was there to deliver some good news or hope, and the truth is, I had no idea why I was there. I had no plan. I had delivered enough food to last the community a week, but I had no sustainable plan to offer.” Diary Excerpt- May 14 2014

Today, I have a plan. Action begins with an idea. The idea has been born, and the first steps of action have been taken. Together, with a team of dedicated and compassionate individuals, I am working to begin a foundation to educate refugee children while they wait for resettlement. Those in the refugee community know that this wait can be a long and grueling one. Our immediate scheme will focus on providing a private education for refugee children living in the city of New Delhi. The long term goal will be planned carefully, and implemented as a team of anthropologists and educators volunteer their time, working diligently and strategically on a very specific task of evaluating current programs that are active, yet struggling to succeed. We will work to identify the problems at hand, and focus on overcoming the issues that have been presented by the refugee community. The immediate goal is to identify and educate as many children as possible so that if and when resettlement occurs, they will find themselves prepared to enter an accredited school system. We have a very long term goal of creating a foundation that can support and sustain a school. The school will offer a targeted education, boasting language, history, science, math, and cultural relativism courses. These are lofty goals, but with time, collaboration, and dedication, we will have the tools needed to succeed. Until then, at the request of refugee mothers and fathers, we will sponsor children as they wait for their turn to live in a permanent home.

If you are interested in being a part of the team or donating to the cause. You may contact the author, Jessie Griggs Burnette, at jgriggsburnette@gmail.com.

Click to read part one and part two of Jessie's visit to New Delhi refugee communities.

How You Can Support Unaccompanied Children

This year, the United States anticipates that over 90,000 children will cross the border unaccompanied. The majority of these children are fleeing violence in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.  Lutheran Services of Georgia has already been in communication with the Office of Refugee Resettlement regarding this humanitarian and refugee crisis. We recognize that these children are making a courageous, dangerous journey to escape desperate situations back home. Our commitment to serve those in need compels us to provide safety, care, and welcome for this vulnerable population. Our experience bringing hope, healing, and strength to children and families through specialized foster care and other programs prepares us to assist in any way we are asked.

In order to empower you  to join us in taking action, we have compiled the following list of ways you can support unaccompanied children. Please share this list with all those who have a heart for welcome.

LEARN: Supporting unaccompanied children begins with awareness of their situation. In the midst of so much misinformation and discrimination towards these children, spreading accurate information and compassionate perspectives on the crisis is crucial. Check out and share the following resources with those looking to learn more.

1. "It Was Either This or Be Murdered" - Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America reflects on his visit to a facility housing unaccompanied children.
2. "U.S. Religious Leaders Embrace Cause of Immigrant Children" - This piece from the New York Times examines the ways that religious leaders around the country are supporting unaccompanied children.
3. "LIRS, Partners Respond to Immigrant-Children Crisis" - This article from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod emphasizes over 45 Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service  (LIRS) partners that are providing care and services for unaccompanied children.
4. LIRS Responds to Crisis at the Border: Lutheran Immigration and Refuge Service's website includes FAQs and reports about the crisis, along with opportunities for action.
5. "Our Journey to Children at the Border" - Rev. Stephen Bouman, Executive Director of ELCA Congregational and Synodical Mission,  shares his experience visiting unaccompanied children along the border.
6. "Everything You Need to Know About the Child and Family Migrant Crisis" - This frequently updated piece from Vox will answer several of your questions related to the crisis.
7. "Children on the Run" - This United Nations report is based on 400 interviews with unaccompanied alien children and provides a comprehensive analysis on the reasons they are fleeing Central America.

GIVE: There are several organizations reaching out to unaccompanied children, but they need your support. Here are two possibilities for giving.

1. Give to Lutheran Disaster Response by listing "Unaccompanied Children" as your designated gift. All donations will go directly towards supporting unaccompanied children.
2. Give to Kids in Need of Defense, an organization that provides unaccompanied children with legal representation to argue their cases.
3. Give to help LIRS support children, advocate for all immigrants, and support newly arrived refugees.

WELCOME: LSG is committed to welcoming unaccompanied children. Join us in welcome.

1. Become a Household of Welcome. LIRS's Households of Welcome provide a community-based alternative to detention for unaccompanied children and migrant families.
2. Write a Letter. They Are Children is collecting compassionate and encouraging letters to welcome unaccompanied children to the U.S.

ADVOCATE: Policies have a direct impact on the lives of these children. Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services offers a number of advocacy opportunities on their website.

1. Join the #ActofLove campaign and ask Congress to respond to unaccompanied children with humanitarian solutions.
2. Contact your representatives through the LIRS Action Center.

• Ask the government not to expedite deportations.
• Treat this as a refugee crisis.
• Request Congress to allocate $3.7 million in emergency supplemental funds.
• Ask Congress not to revoke the 2008 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act that protects children at the border.

PRAY: Support unaccompanied children through prayer.

1. The Bible includes several passages about flight and welcoming the stranger. Consider reading the flight into Egypt, Moses in the basket, the Good Samaritan, or the parable of the Sheep and the Goats.
2. World Vision wrote a prayer for the children, government, and aid organizations during this crisis.
3. Sing this new hymn inspired by the unaccompanied children crisis.

If you would like to suggest another resource or share a personal story of supporting unaccompanied children, please contact Abi Koning at akoning@lsga.org. Thank you for joining us in welcome.

Jessie Visits Refugee Communities in New Delhi - Part 2

Jessie Griggs Burnette, a former LSG resettlement intern and current volunteer, recently spent time with refugees in New Delhi, India. Jessie is currently studying for her Master’s in Anthropology at Georgia State University. On our blog, Jessie is writing a three-part mini-series based on excerpts from her journal. Read her second post below.

Important Note: This trip to India was not for publishable research. This was a personal voyage to meet a group of people that I knew were in need of help and attention. This blog post is, literally, a glimpse into my personal diary. It isn’t meant for publication or academic use. It is simply a raw reflection of my experiences. I am often asked about my own feeling as I travel and work abroad. I feel that by sharing my own feelings and thoughts with the public, I may be able to convince others to take risks – to face their fears.  It is easier than one may think to travel, learn, and help. Everywhere I go, I am met by kind and generous people, always protecting and guiding me. Others can do the same.  I want to be a voice for those who can’t use their own. Sharing my personal experiences within a community waiting for resettlement is one way I can do so.

As the refugee leader directs my driver through the streets of New Delhi, I try to refrain from imagining where I am headed. I want to go without expectation of what is to come. I know I am being taken to a place my new friend has described in a way that sounds nothing less than devastating. This will be a very different scene than the one I had encountered the previous day. According to my guide (a refugee himself), these refugees are relatively new arrivals. Working scarce and dangerous night jobs in the city, they have very limited resources. He had asked me to visit them so that someone "on the outside" would know they existed.

I tell myself to go without a vision of what is to come. I somehow feel my actions will be more genuine upon arrival if this is the approach I take. Why this matters, I am not sure. Even though I am not here for official work or research, the anthropologist within me wants to remain as neutral as possible as I enter this community of displaced people for the first time. As our car turns off the pavement onto a dirt road, I catch my first glimpse of the makeshift tent homes. I had previously seen images like this from afar and from photos given to me by refugee friends living in official UNHCR camps. However, the reality of being in the scene first-hand comes with new responsibility. As I strain my eyes to see what is ahead, my informant tells the driver to stop the car. The road is too rutted to drive down.

As I approached the camp on foot, I am not aware of what I expected. I had tried to eliminate all expectations. Even if I had allowed myself to imagine the circumstances,  I couldn't have dreamed up anything close to the reality of the situation. This camp is unofficial. It was constructed with donated funds and arranged by other refugees with (somewhat) more stability. Inside, the individuals struggle to survive. What I find is senseless suffering.

As I stand among the Rohingya refugees, I do a quick assessment of myself. I am unsure of what I am feeling. I feel astonished, uncomfortable, sad, angry, and most of all I feel confused. One moment I am in a home with beautiful marble walls and floors, sipping tea and enjoying biscuits, and the next I am surrounded by suffering, hunger, and hopelessness. As a graduate student studying anthropology, I am all too aware of the social inequalities and structures leading to these types of scenarios. I am also hyperaware of my own culturally constructed expectations and biases. And yet, in the moment, all of these structures make me very angry. I am bewildered. I find myself searching for the human factor in all of this. I wonder how human beings can cause others to suffer in such a devastating manner.

I see desperate mothers, fathers, and babies. There are about 15 children of staggered age and height gathered around me with their mothers. I once again recognize the familiar faces and traditional clothing from my work with refugees back in Clarkston, Georgia. My friend had stopped to buy chocolates for the children on the way over. He passes me the bag of candy. I distribute them to the children first who wait patiently with wide eyes and eager smiles for their turn. Some of the outstretched hands are so tiny that I can barely fit two chocolates inside. I stuff as many pieces as I can into their little palms. After the children have a few candies each, I share them with the women. They smile kindly and I wonder what they are thinking.

As I distribute chocolates, I look down a very short and dusty tent-lined lane. The tiny vinyl village is constructed of tarps and bamboo. I immediately wonder what will happen when the monsoon season arrives. It is quickly approaching. How will they possibly stay dry? Belongings hang from the canvas walls, elevated from the dirt floors inside the smoldering hot shelters. I am told that 34 people are living here. From what I can see, many of them are children, pregnant women, and people in obvious need of medical care. The tarps are strung together in a way that resembles a makeshift motel, the wall of one room supporting the next. One larger room stands separately and has a rug-lined floor. This, I learn, is the church that doubles as a school house. This building catches my eye as I am invited in by the pastor. I accept the invitation and follow the community leaders inside. The rest of the camp residents flow in after us. With the help of two translators, taking us across three languages, we discuss the inequalities faced by the Rohingya population on a daily basis. I listen most of the time as folks take turns talking around me. They eagerly share a laundry list of problems in hopes of someone outside listening: discrimination, poverty, hunger, beatings, robberies, sexual assault, rape, lack of shelter, etc. Of all these issues that need to be dealt with, the families say they first want education for their children. One seemingly strong lady speaks up and asks me to please help them find a way to educate their children. Through a translator, she tells me, "Everything else, we will figure out, but education, we cannot properly provide."

The unofficial meeting comes to a close. As we depart, I help an elderly lady off the ground. Her breathing is labored and her arms are as thin as an infant's. She is weak and weathered. I make an assumption that is later confirmed; she is suffering from the final stages of TB. I say goodbye with a smile. As I climb back into the air-conditioned auto, I pull my sunglasses close to my cheeks to catch the tears that I can no longer fight back. I have never felt a sense of helplessness quite like this. My thoughts turn to their home country of Burma and envision the larger scene of turmoil there. The political and structural violence is powerful and prominent. I wonder if they will ever know peace and comfort again.

For part three of Jessie's visit to New Delhi refugee communities, visit our blog on August 12. Click here to read part one.

The Case of the Al Khazraji Family

By Deidre Harrison, Program Manager of Refugee Services in Savannah

Can a case file truly tell you the story of a life? Last year, Lutheran Services of Georgia prepared to receive a family of three that was living in Lebanon after fleeing their home country of Iraq. Although the story found in their case file, rife with violence and war, resembled the stories of many LSG clients, the Al Khazraji family was unique. The family’s employment history included a detailed account of the artistic and professional skills that both Sarmad and his wife Nemat acquired overseas. While living in Iraq, Sarmad studied film and theatre and Nemat earned a degree in fashion design. Sarmad directed plays and brought international scripts to his beloved theatre in Baghdad. During the Iraq wars, he received awards for short documentaries highlighting the effects of war on civilians. Sarmad approached his career with an open mind and a desire to welcome strangers from different countries.

In August 2013, LSG resettled Sarmad, Nemat, and their 8-year-old son Nadim in Savannah. At the time, the Iraqi community was still budding and many families found social adjustment very challenging. Yet Sarmad’s enthusiasm to help others and build friendships with local residents made him a role model to other Iraqi clients. With special consideration by LSG staff, the Al Khazraji family agreed to become the first refugee family resettled on Wilmington Island, a small community that had amenities but no refugee community. Both the agency and the Al Khazraji family took a risk that produced exemplary results, showcasing the power of community integration. Nadim excelled at May Howard Elementary School in his first three months and quickly made friends within and outside of the ESOL program. Sarmad befriended local artists at Savannah’s famous City Market. Within three months of arrival, Sarmad and Nemat both accepted jobs at Kroger where they work rotating shifts to mitigate childcare.

After their resettlement, the Al Khazraji family overcame challenges that many refugee families encounter. They learned to read and write in English by attending Savannah Technical College’s ESL classes and practicing with their son. They overcame the Savannah heat and sand gnats by learning to use sunscreen and bug spray. Most importantly, Sarmad and Nemat invested their personal time to help other refugees learn how to adapt to their new lives. In 2014, Sarmad and his wife have already assisted LSG staff with public transportation orientations and provided social support to new families resettled on Wilmington Island.

Drawing on his passion for art and film, Sarmad hopes to film a documentary about how refugees’ lives are positively transformed. He hopes that his talents can be used to communicate the shared hope of many people. Clearly, the case of the Al Khazraji family has yet to be closed.

LSG Selected to Pilot Refugee Employment Mentoring Program

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) recently selected Lutheran Services of Georgia to pilot the Refugee Employment Mentoring Program with Higher, LIRS’s national employment initiative. LSG was selected from among 23 resettlement offices across the nation because of its commitment to employment security for refugees and its tradition of welcome.

The Refugee Employment Mentoring Program aims to accomplish two goals: to support long-term career advancement for refugees and to deepen social connections between refugees and their communities. LSG will match 30 mentors with 30 refugees who will commit to weekly meetings for at least three months. The mentor will act as a job coach, equipping the refugee to develop skills, identify long-term career goals, and create a plan to reach those goals.

Through mentoring relationships, refugees receive the opportunity to expand their social networks. Upon arrival in Georgia, refugees often face significant barriers to community integration. Language skills and difficulties navigating the institutions and customs of a new culture can leave refugees vulnerable to marginalization. This program connects refugees and long-term local residents who can work together to build a more cohesive and vibrant community.

LSG currently operates refugee resettlement programs in both Atlanta and Savannah. In the 2013 fiscal year, LSG resettled 461 refugees and provided services in employment, social adjustment, and information and referral to 1,371 refugees. The Refugee Employment Mentoring Program will allow LSG to provide additional support for clients to achieve economic self-sufficiency and become fully integrated in their communities. At the end of the project year, all findings will be compiled into a report that can offer guidance for other sites interested in pursuing a similar mentorship model.

For more information on the Refugee Employment Mentoring Program, contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@lsga.org or 678-686-9619. Visit www.lsga.org to learn more about Lutheran Services of Georgia.

Jessie Visits Refugee Communities in New Delhi: Part 1

Jessie Griggs Burnette, a former LSG resettlement intern and current volunteer, recently spent time with refugees in New Delhi, India. Jessie is currently studying for her Master’s in Anthropology at Georgia State University. On our blog, Jessie will be writing a three-part mini-series based on excerpts from her journal. Read her first post below.

Important Note: This trip to India was not for publishable research. This was a personal voyage to meet a group of people that I knew were in need of help and attention. This blog post is, literally, a glimpse into my personal diary. It isn’t meant for publication or academic use. It is simply a raw reflection of my experiences. I am often asked about my own feeling as I travel and work abroad. I feel that by sharing my own feelings and thoughts with the public, I may be able to convince others to take risks – to face their fears.  It is easier than one may think to travel, learn, and help. Everywhere I go, I am met by kind and generous people, always protecting and guiding me. Others can do the same.  I want to be a voice for those who can’t use their own. Sharing my personal experiences within a community waiting for resettlement is one way I can do so.

Today I finally visited a community that I have been trying to reach for more than two years. I made my way through Delhi once more via air conditioned vehicle with a private driver. Each time I do this I feel so over-privileged. Nonetheless, I do it because my hostess insists it is the only safe way.

The expedition takes about 45 minutes from where I stay to the area of the city that is home to many Burmese refugees. As I travel, I try to locate landmarks, but I am unsure of the direction I am traveling in. I go through what I believe to be a wealthy area. I see a KTM store, some fancy hotels, and a McDonald’s. It is hard to judge with my American standards what is wealth and what is common. As in most places, poverty is pretty easy to identify, but the lines blur in the more upscale areas. I am positive these lines do not blur for the local community, but I am not properly trained to identify social cues leading me to a clear conclusion on the subject.  Anyway, I arrive around 11 at the address that I received via email from my Burmese contact. He is a Christian Pastor and community leader. He has told me to meet him at a local school, and he will take me from there to his home where the rest of the community leaders have gathered. While traveling to meet him, I think about the insanity of what I am doing. I have flown 30 hours to a country that I do not know how to navigate properly, and I am now traveling another 45 minutes via car without a cell phone or any true personal protection to meet a stranger, a man, who claims to be a refugee community leader. When I write it down or say it aloud, I feel like I must be a mad woman. My mind tells me I should be wary, but I have zero visceral reaction. I do not feel afraid. If I do have fear, it quickly dissipates, and I force myself to move forward.

As my driver gets closer to the school, I wonder how in the world I will recognize this stranger in a city of 18 million people. We approach the address, and I immediately spot the Burmese face in the crowd. He, in return, quickly spots the American girl traveling alone via fancy auto. There is no time wasted for introductions. He greets me with a warm smile and a handshake. He explains that his home is a few blocks away, so we both climb into the auto and he directs the driver down a skinny side street. We have arrived. The driver parks next to some bricks stacked unsteadily as high as the car. Somehow he manages to keep from blocking the street. I am always amazed at how India seems to swell to the perfect size for fitting whatever is needed. I follow the pastor to his apartment complex. As I ascend the stairwell, I am gripped with a moment of fear. The stairway is dark and narrow. The stairs are steep, in regular Indian architectural style, and I am following a stranger right up them. I stifle out the hesitation, take a deep breath, say a quick prayer for protection, and continue up to his apartment. As soon as I enter I feel at home. Relief floods my senses, and the kind greetings from four Burmese women and one man leave me feeling like I am back in Clarkston.  I am immediately astonished at the fantastic English spoken by these refugees. All, with the exception of two, speak English almost perfectly. I am offered a chair while they sit on the floor on a mattress that doubles as a sofa. The pastor also takes a chair.

They have a water cooler, which is most definitely considered a luxury, a computer, and a tablet. They all work fulltime jobs and have been in the country many years. They share rent in three different apartments and help one another to afford this lifestyle.

As we begin to talk, I am incredibly impressed by one young man and a lady in the room. They are vivacious and strong. They are fighters and lovers. Their heart is broken for their people, but they have fought hard against inequality for the Burmese community. The young man in the room is attending college in Delhi. He does so illegally. He created a false identity and registered himself. He knows that education is the only way he will ever have a future. He is doing this knowing that he will not receive a diploma. His determination is infectious. The lady leads the conversation. She is brilliant, fierce, and gentle all at the same time. As they speak, I move from the chair to the floor to sit at eye level with them. They protest for a moment, but I insist and they concede.

They are Kachin. The overall population of Burmese refugees in Delhi numbers into the thousands. However, the Kachin are a very small group of 30 individuals. They believe because of their small numbers they are looked over by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In Burma, there are many different ethnic groups including Kachin, Chin, Burmese, Rohingya, Mon, and others. Among these ethnic groups there are several more tribes. Among the tribes there are 135 different languages spoken. Many of these ethnic groups are represented in Delhi’s refugee population.  They spend two hours explaining these basic things to me along with the inequalities and discriminations that they are faced with daily while living in Delhi as refugees. With their permission, I record the conversation because they tell so many stories that I can’t keep up. Discrimination is a harsh reality for most, and the struggle to survive is nearly unbelievable.  They are not allowed to travel outside of Delhi. Existing as refugees means they are confined to this one city, where they have very few rights, for the rest of their lives unless they receive resettlement. The pastor and his wife have been chosen for resettlement, but only because he wrote 300 letters in six months to the UNHCR.

They each say they feel fortunate to be in a city where they can earn a living. They are happy they can send their children to school if they teach them Hindi.  Yet still, they each share stories of discrimination and the hopelessness of diplomacy.  Most of their family members are dead or living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Kachin State. They have no way of knowing where they are; their loved ones are displaced peoples inside of a country ripped to shreds by years of political unrest. They cling together to survive. They are tired of simply surviving. They want a future for their families, for themselves.

They thank me for caring and for coming to their community. They tell me I am the first to want to see the “real” refugee life. The young man says “I hope to meet again someday in America”. I say I hope the same.

For part two of Jessie’s visit to New Delhi, visit our blog on July 29.

Heard: Aimee Advocates for Refugees on Capitol Hill

In June, LSG staff member and former refugee Aimee Zangandou joined 51 other participants at Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service‘s World Refugee Day Academy. The World Refugee Day Academy is a three-day leadership training and advocacy event for current and former refugees. The participants came from 27 states and represented 18 different nationalities. All together, they did 117 visits to Capitol Hill legislators to advocate on behalf of refugees. They were also honored as special guests during the Walk of Courage Award Gala as LIRS celebrated its 75th anniversary of walking with over 500,000 migrants and refugees to brighter tomorrows. Below, Aimee reflects on her experience. 

Heard!

That’s the word I would use to describe my trip to Washington, D.C. to celebrate World Refugee Day. Throughout the trip, I felt that my voice was heard. On June 19, my day began with visits to legislators on Capitol Hill. I visited the offices of Senator Saxby Chambliss and Representative Tom Price. I was also granted a visit to the White House to meet with the Senior Policy Advisor–Domestic Policy Council and the Director of Human Rights–National Security Staff.

During those visits, I simply told my story. I told them how my family was resettled in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I told them how happy I was to sit in a classroom after being out of school for nearly three years. I told them how hard my parents worked to save enough money for a down payment on their first home, which they made only one year after our arrival in the United States. I told them how my parents were on food stamps for only a very short period of time until they started their first jobs and how they have never been on food stamps again. I shared with them that 80% of refugees resettled in Georgia are able to find work and become financially self-sufficient within 180 days after their arrival. I told them that refugees are an asset to this beautiful country.

As I spoke, I was not only telling my story but the stories of thousands of other refugees who now call the United States their home. Before leaving their offices, I asked them for three things. 1) Invest. Ensure that there are robust resources to support the U.S. refugee resettlement program. 2) Protect. Reject proposals that would harm refugees. 3) Champion. Support refugee reform legislation. Everyone that I met listened to me and I felt that my voice and the voice of others refugees was heard. I felt that the voices of refugees stuck in refugee camps waiting for resettlement were also heard.

Click here to read Aimee’s resettlement story or here for more photos from her trip.

Urgent: Raise Your Voice for Refugees and Unaccompanied Children!

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) and Lutheran Services of Georgia are calling for supporters of refugees and unaccompanied children to join us in raising our voices to advocate for these vulnerable populations.

The Situation:  Tens of thousands of unaccompanied children are fleeing ongoing violence in the Central American countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras and seeking shelter in the United States. These children have been forced to endure conditions that lack compassion and dignity, including sleeping on floors in Border Patrol stations. The numbers are growing drastically–in Fiscal Year 2014, over 60,000 additional children are expected to cross into the U.S. On July 20, 2014, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) announced that they were planning to “reprogram” 94 million dollars from refugee resettlement to respond to this crisis.

The Problem: Refugee programs are already underfunded. Taking funding from refugee resettlement would hollow out existing services, including access to medical and employment assistance for already resettled refugees and those who have yet to arrive. Refugees will not receive the help they need and have been promised to adjust to life in their new communities. The United States cannot help one vulnerable population by hurting another.

The Response: LIRS is calling on Congress and the Obama Administration to allocate $200 million in emergency supplemental funds for the ORR during the 2014 and 2015 fiscal years. This will allow ORR to both reinstate critical programs for refugees and care for unaccompanied children.

How You Can Help:  Join LIRS and LSG in raising your voice! Congress is in recess from June 30 to July 7, so your emails and phone calls are needed right now. Don’t know what to say? That’s alright – LIRS has provided a sample script for a phone call and an email template.

To call, dial (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected with your two Senators and your Representative. Here is a sample script you can use to tailor your personal message, describing your own work or relationships with refugees, unaccompanied children, and other vulnerable migrants.

Hi, my name is [NAME], from [City, State] May I please speak with the staff person who handles appropriations issues?

I am calling to urge the [SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE] to support increased funding for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement by $200 million in FY 2014 so they can meet the needs of both unaccompanied children and refugees. A lack of additional funding would compromise America’s ability to provide persecuted refugees and vulnerable unaccompanied children with safe haven and a chance at a new life. Funding for this program is an investment in the safety and self-sufficiency of people we welcome to American communities. Please ensure that Congress appropriates supplemental funding at least in $200 million in FY 14 and at least $3.3 billion in funding for HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement for FY 2015.

If you’d prefer to send an email, click here for an easy-to-use email template that will go straight to your Congressmen’s offices.

Spread the Word: You can also spread awareness about this issue by sharing this information via email and social media. One way to spread the word is to tweet at your Senators or Representative.  Find their Twitter Handles athttps://twitter.com/cspan/lists/members-of-congress and urge them to increase their funds for ORR. Try tweeting:

• @[their twitter handle] Increase funding for ORR by $200mil to meet needs of unaccompanied children & #refugees #UACs
• @[their twitter handle] Please support $200mil for ORR to maintain US #refugee resettlement program & support unaccomp children #UACs
• @[their twitter handle] @HHSgov ORR needs funding to ensure unaccompanied children & #refugees receive services they need & deserve #UACs

Thanks for joining us in ensuring that both refugees and unaccompanied children receive the care and support that they need to thrive!