Under Construction!

CRIS’s website is currently under construction – check back soon for our new and improved site!

While we transition to the new site, you can contact us at these locations:

3628 Bexvie Avenue, Columbus, OH 43227 Ph: 614-235-5747

3000 West Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43204 Ph: 614-279-1354

4889 Sinclair Road, Suite 111, Columbus, OH 43229 Ph: 614-840-9634

Interested in employment at CRIS? See our available job postings.

Interested in co-sponsoring a newly-arrived refugee family or making a donation to CRIS?
Please contact Claudine Leary, Sponsorship Developer at cleary@cris-ohio.com or 614-984-6255.

One Job for One Year – Oma’s Story

The Advanced Employability class at Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) teaches its students that the way to long-term self-sufficiency in the US is to begin with keeping one job for one year.  This approach builds a strong employment record, marketable job skills, and time to learn the English language and American culture.

Oma Tiwari is a star student of this principle. At the end of December, Oma will celebrate her one year anniversary as a housekeeper with Sheraton Suites.

When Oma introduced herself to me a year ago, she described her life’s journey: “Twenty years Bhutan, twenty years Nepal [in a refugee camp], now United States!” Oma delivered this information with an emphasis that suggested she was determined to make her new life successful.

The Bhutanese community is very close-knit and members look out for one another. A year ago, the Bhutanese community’s impression of hotel work as being unsavory or dangerous, was based on misconceptions carried along with them from Nepal. Concerned family members and neighbors tried to talk Oma out of pursuing this new opportunity. One friend even tried physically to block her path so she would not go to the interview.

Oma did what she felt was right.  Her quiet, brave act of independence led to a discovery within the Bhutanese community that hotel housekeeping is honorable work. Within days of Oma beginning her job at Sheraton Suites, a number of Bhutanese began inquiring at CRIS about finding similar work.  Today, hotel work is perceived within their community as desirable for a family bread-winner due to its stability and permanence. Oma broke down a barrier that has benefitted the entire community.

One year later, Oma’s family is doing well.  Her husband is working for Fed Ex.  Her children have adjusted well to school.  The family has saved enough money to buy a car, and Oma has her learner’s permit!  At work, Oma is often called upon to train new housekeepers.  Her English has grown, and she has even shared her Nepali culture with the Sheraton Suites staff by organizing a Nepali celebration.

Oma has a wonderful New American story, but there are many others like her.  The staff at CRIS thanks you for your interest in and support of these hard-working people.  We wish you Happy Holidays and Peace in the New Year.

You Can Support Self-Sufficiency 

$25 can provide:

Basic toiletries and household consumables

$50 can provide:

A professional outfit for a work interview

$75 can provide:

Steel-toe boots for a warehouse job

A one-month COTA bus pass for learning the city and getting to work

$250 can provide:

Medical interpretation training that will lead to professional employment for high level English speakers.

 

Your donations can be matched 2:1 by a federal matching grant that supports self-sufficiency for refugees within four months of arrival.  Through this private-public partnership, CRIS plans to serve 29 newly arrived refugees with supportive and employment services this year.  Please consider a year-end contribution to help people like Oma gain a foothold in their new homeland.  You can make an online donation at www.cris-ohio.com

Or mail a check to:

Community Refugee and Immigration Services

Attn:  Hannah Hartshorn

4889 Sinclair Road, Suite 111

Columbus, OH 43229

CRIS Can Help You Successfully Employ People Like Aberhet!

 

                               Samuel, Aberhet, Naho, Abel and Adhanom (left to right)

Meet Aberhet Yabyo and her family:  husband, Adhanom Abreha, and three sons, Abel (13), Naho (10), and Samuel (8).   Aberhet is a refugee from the African country of Eritrea.  Her story is not uncommon among refugees, and it demonstrates the perseverance and character qualities that refugees often bring with them to the workplace.

Aberhet was resettled from Eritrea to Arizona in 2009.  She arrived alone with her three young children, because her husband had previously escaped to Israel to try to establish a life for them there.  Refugees may spend many years with immediate family members separated from one another in an attempt to find the surest path to safety.  These separations often mark the beginning of a long process focused on creating a stable life.  Upon arrival, Aberhet spoke no English and had to figure out daily life as a solo parent in a new culture and in a community where few people spoke her native language, Tigrinya.

Aberhet enrolled at CRIS several months later when she moved to Columbus in order to be near a community of Tigrinya speakers.  CRIS’s Supplemental Services and Employability programs helped her to become settled in this new city.  Aberhet never lost sight of her goal of creating a stable, unified family.  She began attending job readiness and ESOL classes at CRIS, while her children started school.  Meanwhile, CRIS also helped her through what is often an arduous process of bringing her husband to the US in order to reunite the family. Adhanom joined his family in Columbus in 2011.

Aberhet and Adhanom continue to progress step by step toward their goals of providing a good life for their family.  Both of them are employed in the warehouse industry, which has allowed them to be immersed in the English language and to achieve some financial stability.  Obtaining a good education for their children is important to the Abreha family, and they recently moved to a new school district that will help them meet this objective.  When asked what she would hope for her children, Aberhet answered, “What I want is to help them be successful in whatever they choose.”

 CRIS Can Help You Successfully Employ People Like Aberhet!

We know that turnover is expensive and that successful workforce development is a keyingredient in containing that cost.  CRIS would like to be your ally in hiring and maintaining a motivated workforce.  Our clients are primarily refugees, like Aberhet.  They come to the US with a strong desire to build a new life.  CRIS employment counselors and teaching staff work to equip these workers with the cultural, language, and soft skills necessary to be successful employees.  CRIS staff can also provide native language interpretation, free of charge, for interviews, orientation, training, and employment reviews.  In addition, when a CRIS client experiences a disruption due to unexpected life circumstances, his CRIS caseworker helps him navigate a course toward a quick resolution.

We also support you, the employer, throughout this relationship.  The CRIS Employer Representative will work with you to understand your staffing needs and identify a pool of potential candidates who meet your qualifications.   We are willing to facilitate as much of the hiring process as you would like.  Services could include: receiving a job posting from you over the phone/email and responding quickly with applicants, notifying you via phone/email when a CRIS client applies for a publicly posted opening, putting together a hiring event at which you may interview a number clients during an afternoon, or assisting you in arranging individual interviews with CRIS clients who have completed applications.  Our employment staff also conducts on-site cultural understanding presentations for HR and Operations Management, so that they are better able to achieve the personnel results they are seeking.

 If you would like to explore how CRIS can help you with your workforce needs, please contact Beth Watkins, Job Developer, at 614-456-1520 or ewatkins@cris-ohio.com.

World Refugee Day – Join the Celebration!

Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS) invites all of our blog followers and friends, and the general public to a World Refugee Day Celebration on Saturday, June 23, 2012. The festivities will be held this year at Columbus International High School (3940 Karl Road, just a bit south of Morse Road).  The event will take place from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and feature food, live performances, and artwork from the various refugee communities in central Ohio.  Admission is free.

Columbus boasts a growing refugee community.  In 2011, CRIS resettled refugees from Bhutan, Somalia, Burma, Iraq, Eritrea, as well as several additional African countries.  The World Refugee Day Celebration honors the contributions of these new Americans to the global diversity of Central Ohio.  During the celebration, an art gallery will showcase the work of members of the Columbus refugee community.   Locally prepared ethnic cuisine will be available beginning at 12:00 noon, and performances demonstrating cultural music and dance traditions will begin at 1:00.  CRIS recognizes The American Red Cross and Columbus International High School for their generous support of this event.

Each June, World Refugee Day is celebrated around the world by civic groups and partners of the United Nations’ Refugee Agency, UNHCR.  CRIS is an independent non-profit agency and the local affiliate of Church World Service and Episcopal Migration Ministries. Our mission is to help refugees and immigrants reach and sustain self-sufficiency and achieve successful integration into the Central Ohio community.  CRIS offers a variety of services to this group of individuals including: employment preparation, acculturation, ESOL-English for Speakers of Other Languages, case management and legal services.

If you would like to offer your time and/or talents to assist us on World Refugee Day, please contact Hannah at volunteers@cris-ohio.com.

WRD 2012 flyer-FINAL

This Mother’s Day, Give More Than a Card

Church World Services, an affiliate of CRIS, is implementing a program both nationally and internationally, called Blankets+. Consider contributing to this program, and letting mothers in difficult situations know, “You matter to us!”

Your compassion in action. That’s the definition of the CWS Blankets+ Program. This Mother’s Day take action – give help, give hope!

In 2011, Blankets+ contributions gave hope and resources to people in crisis when:
•Deadly tornadoes devastated communities all across the U.S.
•Refugees displaced by disaster or violence needed food and shelter.
•Hurricane Irene hit the East Coast, causing widespread flooding and power outages.
•Seeds and tools were needed to help Haitian families create community gardens for food security.
•Harsh Midwest winter storms put homeless people in danger of freezing.

We know more disasters will occur. Let’s work together to act — on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, any day – so help is there when it’s needed most.

Plan your Blankets+ offering now. Order your Blankets+ resources today. Contact Matt Stevens at the Ohio Regional CWS office, 614-481-4416 or mstevens@churchworldservice.org.
Find out more at blanketsplus.org.

AmeriCorps – So Much to Appreciate!

This month, CRIS is celebrating our wonderful AmeriCorps members (Halima Askar, Hannah Hartshorn, and Beth Watkins – people we appreciate daily) and announcing our current recruitment efforts for an AmeriCorps VISTA Job Developer.

Applications are due by Friday, May 4th, and more information and application instructions can be found on CRIS’s website or by clicking this link to the AmeriCorps VISTA Job Developer position.  

To give you, our blog-readers, a taste of the exciting flavors of CRIS work, here are some reflections from Hannah and Beth:

What do you do at CRIS? 

Beth: I work alongside CRIS’s Employer Representative as a Job Developer.  I seek out job opportunities that are appropriate for our clients and work with CRIS employment counselors to identify clients whose skills would be well-suited for those openings.  I also work with employers to facilitate the hiring of limited English speakers and to provide post-hire support to ensure a smooth employment relationship.

Hannah: I’m CRIS’s VISTA Resource Developer – I work to bring people and resources to CRIS that will help us better serve our clients. That can mean speaking at a local community event on Monday, working with a team to film the arrival of refugees on Tuesday, and recruiting and training volunteers on Wednesday. Each week is different and I feel so fortunate to have a job that keeps me interested and challenges me everyday.

How has the AmeriCorps experience enhanced your skills?

Beth: My training and early career are grounded in business and corporate law.  An extended period as a full-time parent, helped me discover that I really enjoy assisting people in developing to their full potential. AmeriCorps has given me the opportunity to transfer my skills and passion to the non-profit arena. I have learned the importance of building long-term relationships with employers in order to create sustainable job opportunities for CRIS clients. 

Hannah: Thanks to AmeriCorps, I am able to work at CRIS! I get great work experience, have a variety of training opportunities, and meet fellow service-providers everyday. AmeriCorps has given me the chance to do work that interests me in the non-profit sector and get paid for it – something difficult to accomplish as a recent college graduate in the current economy.

How has working at CRIS and as an AmeriCorps VISTA opened your eyes or expanded you intellectually and emotionally?

Beth: It is impossible to work at CRIS and not have your eyes opened to the role that culture plays in our lives.  I have grown intellectually in my global perspective and understanding of various cultural traditions.  I have also grown in my understanding of human nature and how fundamental human characteristics cut across ethnic and cultural distinctions. I continue to marvel at the courage our clients exhibit when they leave their homes and start over in the United States. Hearing clients’ personal stories in their own words helps me to empathize with the enormity of the cultural transition they are making. Their stories also inspire me to continue growing and to welcome new challenges in my own life.

Hannah: Working at CRIS is eye-opening, particularly when it comes to how I see my city. I’ve learned so much about the refugee community here in Columbus and have been exposed to the amazing services available in our city. I’ve lived here my whole life but, in only a few months, have gained a new, much broader perspective of the people who live in the central Ohio area. I am constantly amazed and inspired by the people I work with, both clients and colleagues. The dedication, passion and strength of our clients is the driving force behind the work that we do at CRIS. The dedication, passion and strength of my colleagues makes me happy to be at our office every day.

Days of Remembrance, Days of Action

Today, Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) will be observed around the world. The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance, a week-long observance, as our nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust and created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a permanent living memorial to the victims of this world catastrophe.

In Ohio this week, at the Governor’s 32nd Annual Holocaust Commemoration in the statehouse rotunda, words of remembrance mingled with words of hope, under the watchful eye of Abraham Lincoln and other artistic representations of our country’s leaders in the fight for freedom from oppression. Among the array of political dignitaries addressing the large gathering with words of compassion and aspirations for righteous people to work for justice and human dignity, an elderly man sat quietly and patiently.

When his turn came, Werner Coppel, a Cincinnatian and native of Germany, rose to share the painful personal narrative of his formative years in Germany as a torrent of hate and violence created an inhumane and horrific environment for Jews. His words were clear, echoing in the hushed rotunda, as he described himself as a boy of 10, 13, 16, and beyond – witness and victim, and, eventually, survivor. He lost his entire family and somehow managed to endure inhuman conditions, death camps and death marches, ending up in Cincinnati as a “displaced person” after the war. His compelling speech can be found in the Ohio Channel’s media library (28 minutes into the video of the entire event). Why does this 87-year-old man share his story with over 5,000 school children and others each year? Simple: to bear witness to the tragic results of bigotry and to encourage action on behalf of all victims of hate and prejudice.

The atrocities of attempted genocide reside in Werner Coppel’s memory and in the memory of far too many others whose stories  share the commonality of human cruelty, bigotry, and injustice. Our world contains too many examples of the same type of thinking, action and inaction that allowed the Holocaust to occur. Even while internet connectivity permits us to bear witness to events in ways that were unimaginable during Werner Coppel’s childhood, bigotry and injustice result in death and destruction and cause millions to flee their homes in search of safety and security. We have the opportunity to take action to help ensure that many of their stories include the safe and sustainable future that Werner Coppel found in Cincinnati in the late 1940’s.

CRIS is working every day to ensure that refugees who are resettled to central Ohio find security and productivity in their new home. Our work is not possible without the support of our volunteers and partners. The warmth of a friendly smile, coupled with shelter, food, material assistance, and opportunities to learn, work, and adapt to a new environment, are the keys to survival for our newest neighbors. This week alone, CRIS staff will go to Port Columbus airport multiple times to greet 31 refugees from Somalia, Bhutan, Eritrea, and Iraq. Each of them has a story to tell of a long and arduous journey. Each of them needs a helping hand, a kind face, and offers of assistance. Here is your opportunity to ACT as well as REMEMBER. 

Honor the memory of all those we have lost to attempted genocide by joining CRIS as a volunteer or co-sponsoring organization to be a part of the web of support that makes all the difference in creating community. To be a part of our ongoing community of support, please contact Jessica Shimberg, Sponsorship Developer, or Hannah Hartshorn VISTA Resource Developer, by emailing us at volunteer@cris-ohio.com.

New Start, New State for Newsman

Once the immediate danger and the atmosphere of crisis is over, refugees who are being resettled in Columbus and around the world face the challenge of realigning their new lives with their values, talents, and dreams. This predicament is vividly familiar to Jasim Algailany, a CRIS employee and former CRIS client featured in a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch. (Photo courtesy of Columbus Dispatch – Jonathan Quilter)

Jasim grew up in Iraq, completed his university studies, and by 2005, had a developing career in news media. He was hired by a television station to work on their website design, but, because of his English language skills, was soon placed in front of the cameras as an anchor of newscasts broadcast throughout the Middle East. The more he did at the station, the more passionate Jasim became about furthering his career in media. He hosted his own TV show in his hometown of Baghdad and was a proponent of different factions working together to address important socio-political issues. “We were broadcasting about overcoming differences and unity, representing a different trend than what the terrorists were trying to show,” he said. Fearing for his life, Jasim fled to Jordan, where he began graduate coursework in media production, hoping to return to Baghdad and continue his work. These dreams were dashed in 2007, when al-Qaida in Iraq blew up the station’s Baghdad office with a suicide truck bomb, killing three people. The rest of his colleagues fled to Jordan.  Knowing it was impossible to return home, Jasim began the long process of refugee resettlement that ended when he moved to central Ohio in 2010.

When possible, resettlement agencies like CRIS work to place refugees with a U.S. Tie – a family member or friend from their home – to ease the transition to a new environment. Jasim came to Columbus thanks to the support of a friend from Baghdad who had already been resettled in the city. Although being near his friend has been a great comfort to Jasim, all of his family is still in Iraq and he fears for their safety. “With different groups vying for power, it is still a very difficult time,” he says with a worried look, mentioning that, for safety, his family has had to move several times because of his very public expression of ideas that angered terrorist groups.

Some might wonder why Jasim, like so many others now in Columbus, didn’t stay in Jordan, closer to home and among friends and colleagues from Iraq. “Gaining legal status in Jordan is a problem,” Jasim explains. “Visas are almost impossible to get and you can be deported at any time for any reason [...] Coming to the U.S. was my only option,” he states, with both resignation and a great appreciation for the opportunities that have opened to him in Columbus.

Jasim has applied for a Ph.D. program at The Ohio State University to continue his studies in Journalism. He has not given up on his dreams. “You need to spend some time finding your way to make things happen,” Jasim instructs. “I want to finish what I have started.” News Anchor Clips

How Can I Help? Meet Jim Boyd – one very valuable volunteer …

For some people, retirement means slowing down, taking it easy, and focusing on recreational activities. Not so for Jim Boyd, a retired attorney and insurance industry veteran, who continues to volunteer his time in too many ways to count on one hand. For a number of years, Jim has been a regular face in CRIS’s Sinclair Road office, where he frequently stops in to drop off essential items he and his wife have collected for Welcome Kits, sets of basic goods that will act as the foundation for a newly arrived refugee’s first home in the United States. On a recent afternoon, we met Jim for a cup of coffee to thank him for his generosity. He greeted us in style – wearing an apron from his weekly volunteer shift at the Holy Family Soup Kitchen.We were hoping to learn a bit about Jim’s experience as a CRIS volunteer. Instead, we learned an even more valuable life lesson: how to recognize needs and resources and be the bridge that connects them. In addition to his dedication to CRIS, Jim has shared his energy with the Holy Family Soup Kitchen for more than twenty years. He serves as an ombudsman for Catholic Social Services, visiting residents at the Villa Angela Nursing Home. He has worked with Habitat for Humanity, the Furniture Bank of Central Ohio, the YMCA, and the local chapter of RSVP, Retired Senior Volunteer Program. Through his passion for helping others, he connects people. When the Furniture Bank received a large number of dressers that needed to be put together, he got together a group from Habitat for Humanity and another group from the men’s club at Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, where Jim has been an active member and vocal advocate of social justice projects. Not only did he feel good about doing the work, Jim smiled, “I learned a lot about furniture-making!”Jim is not bashful about his belief in the importance of helping those who are less fortunate. He recently asked his church’s men’s group to make a donation to CRIS, which they did in his honor. He mentioned that they had wanted to spend some of the money on a sweetheart dinner for Valentine’s Day. “It’s more important to help refugees get set up in a new home than to entertain ourselves with a nice dinner,” he said. His cohorts agreed.

Jim lamented the difficulty of finding enthusiastic volunteers for social justice work. “Over the years, I’ve tried to get people involved in doing the work. Most of the time, they would rather give money than time.” We discussed the possibility that this occurs because donations of one’s time and talent require more effort and create a greater emotional connection to those in need than just writing a check.  The reward of providing direct assistance – the satisfaction and human connection, we agreed, is far greater than the effort expended.

As we parted, we wished Jim a happy birthday – he will be 84 years young this week. In return, we received a warm handshake and a set of dishes for a family that will soon arrive in Columbus. They will likely never meet Jim Boyd, but they will benefit from his kindness, and he is happy to know he has been of assistance.

Happy New Year!

Nahla, a staff member at CRIS reflected on what her clients have accomplished in this past year and what she looks forward to in this new year.

Last year was the best and the most productive for me in CRIS!  I got to develop and improve my Employment program by modifying some of its requirements to be more compatible with the reality out there and with the most common characteristics of my clients. At the beginning, I designed the curriculum and the registration procedures,  tried to apply those on the very few clients I had just to find shortly afterwards that the program was not heading the desired direction. To help refugees resume their career as engineers, dentists, teachers, or pharmacists required first that I help them find an entry level job to be able to save some money and get some experience on the American job market. Simultaneously, I direct them to the procedures of being re-certified in the U.S. It is necessary to explain to the highly educated refugees (of which most of my clients are) that they need to know that their experience overseas and their certificates are not recognized here and that they need more time and money to be acknowledged as professionals in their previous careers. 

 With this clear view, I could benefit my clients greatly to help them understand and accommodate the new environment to reach the goal of self-sufficiency for themselves and their families. Whenever I see the happy look at a client’s eyes after being hired in a stable and descent job, I feel so proud and pleased for this is indeed their first step on the road of dignified and independent lives. 

Happy New Year from the team at CRIS!  We hope that during this new year you will consider the great impact you can have on refugee families through welcoming them to the United States.  If you are interested in helping welcome refugee families to Columbus you can contact Hannah Hartshorn at hhartshorn@cris-ohio.com.

We are so thankful for community members that make our work possible.  So many people support our programs though faithfully donating their time and energy to investing in helping refugees and immigrants reach and sustain self-sufficiency, ultimately helping to build thriving communities.

Happy New Year!