Welcome to our monthly roundup of all the stories you may have missed on the JFCS social media pages!
First Refugee Family of 2021
Help us welcome our first refugee family of the year, who arrived from Democratic Republic of Congo last week! They were greeted by JFCS Refugee & Immigrant Services staff Abby Jo & Mike and taken to their new home filled with furniture and goods from Off the Floor Pittsburgh, Thrive-Refugee and Immigrant Outreach, and community donors, plus a home cooked meal from another local Congolese family.
One of the boys even drew a picture of himself with Mike to share!
We’re so thankful that we’re able to safely and healthily continue to welcome refugees and help them make a new home here in Pittsburgh. 💛
Bags of Fun Supplies for Newcomers Crew
JFCS Refugee & Immigrant Services’s new program Newcomers Crew offers support and mentorship for new school-aged refugee kids and teens. Unlike a traditional tutoring program Newcomers Crew helps refugee youth adjust to their new lives here by teaching them about culture, life in America, and personal growth! These bags and goodies were dropped off to our Newcomers Crew kids last week, donated by Thrive-Refugee and Immigrant Outreach and Hearts You Hold. Thanks to Thrive and all our mentors for helping our Newcomers Crew students feel welcome!
Finding the Right Career Fit
For the last 2 months, Rhonda* has been working with JFCS Career Development Center Career Counselor Pam Harris to find a new job with a good work environment. She had a great experience working with Pam and shared about the process:
“Pam’s positivity, insight and guidance helped me tremendously in this process. We would review various job postings to see which ones would be a good fit for me, search any language that might be potential red flags, strategize to connect with individuals in HR, review my resume and so much more. I am truly grateful for her help, support and encouragement with the job searching process. It meant a lot to have Pam as part of my ‘cheer squad.’ I am equally as thankful to the JFCS for providing these services during a pandemic and these unprecedented times.”
Pam was able to help Rhonda find a new job with a local organization that was a great fit for her skills and talents!Learn more about how we help clients through the job search process, unemployment situations, and career transitions: jfcspgh.org/cdc
ISAC in the Field
ISAC service coordinator Emily met with her client Dilnaz and husband Tarun to provide their family with a Pack ‘N Play for their new baby boy Ayaan. Dilnaz brought their mail out so Emily could help them sort through important letters and information about insurance, healthcare, and more. Emily helped Dilnaz understand the letters and made a plan to help her follow up with all of them.
ISAC service coordination looks a little bit different these days, but our team is still working hard to make sure our clients needs are met!
Presenting About After School Club
This week, JFCS staff members Andrew Van Treeck and AJ Arnett spoke at the 2021 PA Statewide Refugee Resettlement Consultation with After School Club teammates from ARYSE and Duquesne University about how the program started and how it has grown. Their presentation included a translated video with After School Club students talking about the challenges they face in school and how the program has helped them navigate those challenges.
Excellence in Community Engagement Award
Congrats to our JFCS Refugee & Immigrant Services After School Club and JFCS Career Development Center 412 Futures program, ARYSE, and Duquesne University for receiving the Excellence in Community Engagement Award Envisioning 2021 Award at this year’s PA Statewide Refugee Resettlement Consultation!
Handmade Masks for Pantry Clients
When the pandemic started, JFCS Squirrel Hill Food Pantry quickly switched to providing pre-bagged items to our clients to ensure everyone’s health and safety. As the pandemic continued, the needs in the community grew, and we’ve been able to expand what we’re giving out with the food at the pantry–from brochures to Census info and more. Now, thanks to the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Mitvah Day volunteers, we’re able to give our pantry clients these beautiful handmade masks!