Refugee Workshop March 17
First Presbyterian's Refugee Team will be leading a refugee workshop at
Springfest, a program of the Lehigh Presbytery, on March 17th. Click
here for more information and to register.
WMFZ Highlights the Experience of Refugees in the Lehigh Valley
As you may know, FPCA has a thriving Refugee Ministry involving over 50 volunteers working to help refugees transition to life in the US through English tutoring, life skills coaching, transportation, donations, employment opportunities and, most importantly, relationships. Read more about this ongoing and integral part of FPCA's life in the larger community
here.
This week, WFMZ also presented
this piece, which speaks to the incredible struggles many in the refugee community have faced, and some of the challenges and opportunities that meet them when they resettle here. May we always be a blessing to those seeking refuge in our midst, because we know that nothing we have is finally ours. Everything is God's, and God calls us to share what we have, including our communities and the resources in them! There's a special concern in Scripture for welcoming "the stranger" to settle among us, and not just to settle, but to thrive. The radical love of Christ compels us to advocate for, give to, and, most importantly, know the people coming here in search of better, blessed lives.
Pathway to Citizenship
After being in the U.S. for 1 year, the refugees can apply for a green card, their first step towards citizenship. Would you like to help? All that is required is a car and a couple hours of your time. Contact Leni Harriott 610-762-3981 or Leni@rcn.com
Self Sufficiency….
...is the keystone to the FPC Refugee resettlement program. Jobs and English are critical to our program. To date, our volunteers have found jobs for over 150 refugees at several local employers including: Crothall and Sodexco at Lehigh valley Hospital, Nazareth Pallet, K. Heeps, CVIP (Cryogenics, vessels, instrumentation and Piping), Amazon.com. This is easier than you would expect because employers love our refugees! We get calls weekly from employers, requesting more. Several of the employers no longer require interviews: they just call with a start date because they know the refugees will be good employees.
Self-sufficiency includes not only jobs, but also English. FPC volunteers help refugees enroll in ESL classes and our church currently has 30 volunteer tutors. Would you like to help? If you would like to help with this important ministry, please contact Leni Harriott 610-762-3981 or Leni@rcn.com
Habitat for Humanity and Refugees
Some of the refugees who have been in America for 3 or 4 years now qualify for a house with a conventional mortgage. The FPC resettlement team has started talks with Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh valley to help other refugees buy homes in Allentown. Currently there are 3 refugee Habitat homeowners and 2 more are in the application stage. Stay tuned to how you can help refugees become Habitat homeowners. If you would like more information, please contact Michael Palmer at 610-530-1688 or MPalmer@ana.net