Helping refugee families go from need to succeed
From need to succeed
Refugee families typically arrive in Indianapolis with little more than the clothes they are wearing. They often speak little English. Their education may be spotty, depending on how many years they spent in refugee camps before arriving here. They have minimal to no knowledge of our customs and systems.
When a refugee family resettles in the U.S., our government gives each member a small amount of cash assistance, an amount that can cover a few months’ rent. This cash assistance ends within 8 months of arrival. A wide gap exists between this assistance and the financial and social resources a family requires to move beyond the initial needs they have upon resettling here to long-term stability and success.
The volunteers at From Strangers to Neighbors help refugees bridge this gap. Exodus Refugee Immigration matches us with a family. We function as “co-sponsors” with Exodus. Our team provides social and financial support to the families we sponsor for up to two years, augmenting the base services Exodus provides. Our goal is to stay connected with families long enough to help them resolve their short-term needs and gain long-term economic and social stability in their new home and country.
Social Support
For newly-arrived families, navigating a new country - and its language, systems, and cultural norms - is overwhelming. Our volunteer team works to ease those feelings of being overwhelmed. We provide each family we serve with a wide range of support. We offer guidance on the small things such as where to shop for groceries to bigger things such as help in enrolling children in school, finding jobs, and learning English.
Most importantly, we also extend friendship. We show through our presence that a new country becomes far less lonely or scary when one has neighbors who care.
Financial assistance
Indianapolis - like the United States overall - has a crisis in affordable housing. Refugees often find their initial jobs pay $12-$15/hour. This amount of income makes most rents unaffordable to new arrivals. Market rate rents for apartments or homes that can accommodate a family are up to $1,500/month. We provide short-term cash rent assistance to bridge the gap between “affordable,” and the reality of the Indianapolis housing market.
At the same time, we work to help a family secure employment and education/training that gives them the opportunity for future financial independence.
Education guidance and ESL tutoring
English proficiency is the #1 predictor of long-term stability and success here. Families succeed when they attain education that opens doors to better job opportunities. We offer 1:1 tutoring to families. We also talk to family members to clarify their education goals and then help them find resources that enable them to meet their goals.
Contact
Reach out to Sharon Boller, organization president, with questions or to inquire about volunteer opportunities..
Email
sharon@fromstrangerstoneighbors.org
Phone
(317) 490-3833