Wilson-Fish Alternative Refugee Resettlement Projects Blog

Daniela Hristic, Meskerem Lakew, Carisa Lopez-Ramirez (CCSN) and Seid Biadgligne (ACC)

Since Soran Kaka and his wife, Suror Hassan, settled in Fargo-Moorhead 18 months ago, fellow Iraqi refugees have followed suit by the hundreds.
The couple hope to lure those newcomers and other imports from the Middle East to their new Al-Medina-Al-Minawara grocery on Fargo’s Main Avenue. Hence, the signage in Arabic, halal meats prepared according to Islamic law, and the head scarves by the register.

 
English-only drivers' test could hinder refugees
Objections prompt the bill's sponsor to say he won't insist on the provision for the exam if other lawmakers object.

BY JOHN MILLER - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 02/03/10 Follow the link below to read the article.
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/1065910.html

from UNHCR & Catholic Social Services
News Stories, 21 December 2009

HHS Provides an Additional $1.2 Billion to States to
Help Low-Income Households with Energy Costs

See the NYTimes story at the link below for the full article.
"About 1,500 people from around the world showed up in U.S. airports and on the borders seeking asylum during the 2009 fiscal year, according to statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

ORR's Wilson Fish Program Manager, Carl Rubenstein, worked with ISED's technical assistance team of Jan Losby and Peggy Gilbert to host a two-day data summit on December 9 & 10.  Four WF program directors who currently complete and use the optional self-sufficiency report joined the ORR-ISED team to look at how effective the report is in helping program managers track self-sufficiency and to explore options for future data collection and anlysis in planning for a new funding cycle.
 

African Refugees Find New Life In Mobile

Chad Petri

 
Follow this link to read about how the Center for Refugees and Immigrants (formerly the Somali Center) in Nashville.
 http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091109/NEWS01/911090343/Tennessee+center+links+refugees+++hidden+skills++to+jobs

A small group of Wilson-Fish Program Directors will join ORR and ISED in identifying data elements to be tracked in 2010.  The day and a half meeting in Washington, to be held at One Washington Circle Hotel, will bring together Becky Jordon/Kentucky; Donna Magnusson/South Dakota; Jan Reeves/Idaho; and Paul Stein/Colorado.  These W-F State Coordinators will work with ORR's Carl Rubenstein and ISED's Jan Losby to finalize what has been a multi-year effort to develop and to field test outcome indicators that measure the extent to which refugees are ac