![]() ![]() The refugees may need assistance with anything from getting a driver’s license to enrolling their children in school. “I didn’t realize how isolated the refugee communities were in Pittsburgh,” said Garbarino.ĭavidson’s four-month pilot program paired 25 refugee families with 25 American families. The mentees also underwent a training day about what they could expect from the program, and only two indicated that they had an American friend outside of their work or other daily interactions. They heard from an Iranian refugee, who now attends an American law school, about her experiences, and from a representative of the Greater Pittsburgh Literacy Council about its education resources. ![]() Gartner, Garbarino and the other mentor families attended a day-long training session where they learned about the global plight of refugees and how to relate to those moving to the U.S. READ MORE: Syrian refugees find a safe haven in Amish country I wanted Hello Neighbor to step in when the other programs end.” “After that initial 90 days, they really are on their own and are expected to be self-sufficient and integrated into society,” said Davidson. They help find them jobs and English-language classes, and provide about three months of federal funding for rent and food. set up arrival families with a place to live, furniture and basic household items. Nine refugee resettlement agencies around the U.S. Her Pittsburgh-based network matches refugees with “mentor” families to help them become better accustomed to life in the U.S. It’s the type of interaction Sloane Davidson, a former refugee resettlement worker, had in mind when she formed Hello Neighbor. They took them to an outdoor arts festival, where they indulged in the most traditional American fair food: funnel cakes. In order to make the refugees who were moving into their area feel welcome, Pittsburgh couple Richard Gartner and Kristin Garbarino signed up to mentor a mother and three children from Rwanda. ![]()
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