International Rescue Committee Atlanta

📣 New cohort begins September 7, don’t miss out, contact us today! 📣 Learn how to provide dental care with the IRC in Atlanta and Gwinnett Dental Career Academy at a reduced cost! Benefits of being a Dental Assistant include:

💲 An average salary of $16.86/hour
📈 Opportunity for promotions and growth
📢 In high demand
⏰ Flexible hours

This program is for refugees, humanitarian parolees, asylees and SIV recipients who have been in the U.S. for less than five years. You must have a high school diploma (can be foreign or GED) and you must be currently employed.

The Dental Assistant program is 10 weeks long and classes are on Saturdays from 9am – 5pm. Limited scholarships are available, so email Sam Camirand at [email protected] or call 470-510-6190 today to learn more!

THIS SATURDAY! Join the IRC in Atlanta's Women's Entrepreneur Empowerment Series (WEES) – a monthly program supporting aspiring and existing refugee and immigrant women entrepreneurs! Our topic for August is ‘Creating a Business Pitch’ and you’ll learn what a business pitch is, why it’s useful, and how to create one to share the story of your business! Experience a welcoming and safe space where you will gain essential skills, networking opportunities, and access to resources to start and grow your business. Our commitment is to inspire, uplift, and support women throughout their entrepreneurial journey, fostering a community where diverse voices shape the business landscape.

📅 Saturday, August 3, 2024
⏰ 10am-12pm
📍 The IRC in Atlanta office, 2305 Parklake Dr, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345

Register now at bit.ly/EmpowerIRCATL and to learn more, contact [email protected] 📧

Join our team! The IRC in Atlanta is currently recruiting for our 2024-25 NDMV AmeriCorps Service Members. We are looking for dedicated, motivated and service-driven individuals to join our team. Many positions are already filled, but we have two openings left, in our Health and Youth teams. For full position descriptions and information on how to apply, visit: bit.ly/IRCAmeriCorps24

Join the IRC in Atlanta's Women's Entrepreneur Empowerment Series (WEES) – a monthly program supporting aspiring and existing refugee and immigrant women entrepreneurs! 💪 Our topic for August is ‘Creating a Business Pitch’ and you’ll learn what a business pitch is, why it’s useful, and how to create one to share the story of your business! Experience a welcoming and safe space where you will gain essential skills, networking opportunities, and access to resources to start and grow your business. Our commitment is to inspire, uplift, and support women throughout their entrepreneurial journey, fostering a community where diverse voices shape the business landscape.

📅 Saturday, August 3, 2024
⏰ 10am-12pm
📍 The IRC in Atlanta office, 2305 Parklake Dr, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345

Register now at bit.ly/EmpowerIRCATL and to learn more, contact [email protected] 📧

Join the IRC in Atlanta this Saturday, July 27, for an afternoon of celebration of our HOME Teams, the clients they’ve sponsored, and all they have accomplished! Grab a friend who would like to learn more about the HOME Team program and bring your questions for IRC staff!

HOME Teams play a key role in helping refugees resettle into their new community. Community sponsors advance the role of communities in the protection, resettlement, and integration of refugees and other vulnerable populations. As a HOME Team, local community members commit to providing, in a non-legally binding agreement, clearly defined financial and in-kind contributions and the majority of core services to support a refugee’s welcome and integration in partnership with the IRC.

Come out on Saturday to learn more or contact [email protected] with questions!

We’re looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow (Saturday) at the IRC office for supply drive drop-off and free ice cream from our friends at Yom Ice Cream! 🍦🍨 We’ll be at 2305 Parklake Dr NE, Suite 100, Atlanta 30345 from 12pm to 3pm and it’s not too late for you to contribute a backpack for a newly arriving refugee student! 🎒✏️📓

Swipe for a list of all the supplies needed to provide one backpack, with options for students in K-5 and 6-12, or visit bit.ly/Back2SchoolDrive24 for a text only/printable version.

Join the IRC in Atlanta for our Virtual Volunteer Orientation, this Wednesday, July 17, at 5pm! The IRC in Atlanta's volunteers are essential members of our community and their work provides invaluable support to new Georgians seeking to rebuild their lives.

Our dedicated staff are seeking community members like YOU to help fill many important roles including:

💛 English Class Assistants

💛 Childcare Assistants

💛 Drivers for Appointments

💛 & more!

Contact [email protected] for more information and to sign up! 📧

Thank you so much to everyone who has been busy collecting school supplies to equip our newly arriving refugee students for the school year ahead! A gentle reminder that next Saturday, July 20, from 12pm – 3pm, is our dedicated drop off window for our summer Back 2 School Supply Drive—our staff look forward to greeting you then at our office (2305 Parklake Dr NE, Suite 100, Atlanta 30345). 🎒✏️📓

🍦 🍨 We’re also excited to share that we’ll have FREE Yom Ice Cream for you when you drop off (while supplies last!) thanks to our generous friends at YOM, so be sure to get there early for a well-deserved treat in this summer heat! 🍨🍦

It’s not too late to help us welcome 700 school-aged children to Georgia in the upcoming year—we can’t do this without YOU! We are calling on our dedicated supporters to collect the items needed and pack a backpack for a refugee student (or two – or five – or ten!)

Swipe for a list of all the supplies needed to provide one backpack, with options for students in K-5 and 6-12, or visit bit.ly/Back2SchoolDrive24 for a text only/printable version. 🔗

The IRC in Atlanta’s Microenterprise Development (MED) program provides technical assistance, financial capability training and lending services to support refugees, immigrants, and other Georgia community members to start or expand their own small business. We’ve got two exciting workshops coming up in the month of July and we hope to see you there! Please share with any small business owners in your life!

📅 Thursday, July 18 from 11am – 12pm: Cottage Food Law: Creating a Business at Home

🧑‍🏫 Did you know that you can sell food without needing to open a restaurant? Learn what types of foods you could sell and how you can create a business!

📅 Thursday, July 25 from 10am – 11am: Organizing your Business with the Business Model Canvas

🧑‍🏫 Learn how to create a comprehensive business plan with one simple tool. Leave with a completed canvas to help accelerate your business.

All of our July events will take place at the IRC in Atlanta office, located at 2305 Parklake Drive NE, Ste 100, Atlanta 30345.

Please register and RSVP for these FREE events here: bit.ly/JulyMED

📣 PLEASE SHARE! 📣 The IRC in Atlanta expects to welcome 700 school-aged children to Georgia in the upcoming year and we can’t do this without YOU! This summer, we are organizing a Back 2 School Supply Drive to ensure the refugee families we serve have backpacks full of everything they need as children enroll in their new schools and begin to rebuild their lives. 🎒✏️📓

We are calling on our dedicated supporters to collect the items needed and pack a backpack for a refugee student (or two – or five – or ten!) this summer, and drop them off at our office, located at 2305 Parklake Drive NE, Suite 100, Atlanta 30345, between 12pm and 3pm on Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Swipe for a list of all the supplies needed to provide one backpack, with options for students in K-5 and 6-12, or visit bit.ly/Back2SchoolDrive24 for a text only/printable version. 🔗

If your faith group, school, company or family would like to commit to providing a larger donation of backpacks, and/or you are unable to drop off on July 20, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Thank you so much for your support in helping us to equip newly arriving students with everything they need to start the school year off strong! 💛

Join the IRC in Atlanta for the second installment of our new workshop series, Digital Essentials: Tools for Business Owners. Learn how to create a strong online presence for your business and use your phone and computer to find new customers! This workshop is for aspiring and existing business owners from all backgrounds and will cover selling your products online, using phone apps to connect with nearby customers, creating your own website, and establishing a Google Business Profile!

📅 Wednesday, June 26, 2024
⏰ 6pm-7pm
📍 The IRC in Atlanta office, 2305 Parklake Dr, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345

Register now at bit.ly/DigitalEssentialsSeries and to learn more, contact [email protected] 📧

Today, June 20, is ! In the coming weeks, we anticipate welcoming our 30,000th refugee arrival—a testament to Georgia's commitment to fostering a beloved community that reflects—and celebrates—our common humanity, inspired by Dr. King’s vision. This milestone is not just a number but a symbol of hope and resilience for those seeking refuge from conflict and persecution. With over 1,000 arrivals already this year, we're on track to welcome over 1,500 individuals by the end of September, marking the largest number of arrivals in any given year since the IRC in Atlanta was founded in 1979.

Your support is crucial now more than ever. Whether you've already contributed this year or are considering a donation, your generosity enables us to meet the growing needs of our community and ensure that no family is left behind in their journey to safety and stability.

We need to raise $50,000 by the end of June, and a generous community member has committed to matching all donations up to $25,000 to help us reach our goal. That means your gift will be doubled, dollar for dollar, when you give to the IRC in Atlanta in June!

This , join us in supporting refugees and asylum-seekers by donating today at Rescue.org/GiveAtlanta. Together, we can ensure that every individual and family receive the assistance they need to thrive in their new home.

Join us this Friday, June 21 at 5:30pm for an evening of fun, knowledge, and community as we celebrate World Refugee Day! Test your wits and knowledge about the IRC in Atlanta’s programs, impact, and the communities we serve while having fun with fellow donors and supporters. Learn more about our initiatives, achievements, and the individuals we serve.

Come solo or bring a team! Register today: bit.ly/IRCWRD24 🌍💡

This event is free to attend, however donations of any amount are welcome towards the IRC in Atlanta’s summer campaign! Donate today at: Rescue.org/GiveAtlanta

Join the IRC in Atlanta for our Virtual Volunteer Orientation, this Wednesday, June 19, at 5pm! The IRC in Atlanta's volunteers are essential members of our community and their work provides invaluable support to new Georgians seeking to rebuild their lives.

Our dedicated staff are seeking community members like YOU to help fill many important roles including:

💛 Summer Camp Volunteers

💛 English Class Assistants

💛 Childcare Assistants

💛 Drivers for Appointments

💛 Small Business Mentors

💛 & more!

Contact [email protected] for more information and to sign up! 📧

Join us for our 11th annual World Refugee Day Celebration! We invite you to come join us and our partners in the Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies for a celebration of courage, cultural diversity, and the shared values that unite us as a welcoming community. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, June 22 at the Clarkston Community Center from 11:00am-2:00pm

As always, you can expect to enjoy delicious food, music, performances, children’s activities, visits from special guest speakers, and the opportunity to shop locally from refugee and immigrant business owners at our vendor’s market!

Interested in attending? Visit bit.ly/CRSAWRD24 to learn more and register for the event.

Join the IRC in Atlanta for our Virtual Volunteer Orientation, next Wednesday, June 19, at 5pm! The IRC in Atlanta's volunteers are essential members of our community and their work provides invaluable support to new Georgians seeking to rebuild their lives.

Our dedicated staff are seeking community members like YOU to help fill many important roles including:

💛 Summer Camp Volunteers

💛 English Class Assistants

💛 Childcare Assistants

💛 Drivers for Appointments

💛 Small Business Mentors

💛 & more!

Contact [email protected] for more information and to sign up! 📧

Earlier this spring, the IRC in Atlanta’s Connect 2 Success (C2S) program took a trip downtown to tour the Georgia State University campus! The innovative C2S program—developed specifically for out-of-school refugee and immigrant youth aged 16-24—supports young people in completing their academic and career goals. Through one-on-one coaching and group workshops, C2S provides support with college and financial aid applications, job applications, enrolling in job training programs, enrolling in GED programs, and enrolling in ESL classes! 🎓💼

Could you or someone you know benefit from the C2S program? Do you have an academic or career goal that you’d like to achieve in one year or less? Contact our C2S Program Coordinator at [email protected] today to learn more!

President Biden has issued new executive actions that would limit the number of people able to exercise their legal right to seek safety at the southern border and weaken refugee protection standards in violation of U.S. law.

But restricting asylum does not create safety or order at the border. Rather, it increases misinformation and pushes people seeking safety toward more dangerous routes, further jeopardizing their lives.

We urge the Biden administration to reconsider and rescind these actions. Remember: seeking asylum is a human right.

📢 Join the IRC in calling on the White House to uphold its legal obligations to welcome and protect asylum seekers and take action here: https://act.rescue.org/1KyAx79 📢

Join us on Friday, June 21 at 5:30pm for an evening of fun, knowledge, and community as we celebrate World Refugee Day! Test your wits and knowledge about the IRC in Atlanta’s programs, impact, and the communities we serve while having fun with fellow donors and supporters. Learn more about our initiatives, achievements, and the individuals we serve.

Come solo or bring a team! Register today: bit.ly/IRCWRD24 🌍💡

This event is free to attend, however donations of any amount are welcome towards the IRC in Atlanta’s summer campaign! Donate today at: Rescue.org/GiveAtlanta

Join us for our 11th annual World Refugee Day Celebration! We invite you to come join us and our partners in the Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies for a celebration of courage, cultural diversity, and the shared values that unite us as a welcoming community. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, June 22 at the Clarkston Community Center from 11:00am-2:00pm

As always, you can expect to enjoy delicious food, music, performances, children’s activities, visits from special guest speakers, and the opportunity to shop locally from refugee and immigrant business owners at our vendor’s market!

Interested in attending? Visit bit.ly/CRSAWRD24 to learn more and register for the event.

Join the IRC in Atlanta and Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) on Wednesday, June 5 to learn more about GPTC’s ‘Ready? Step. LEAP!’ program, which allows you to continue to work toward earning a high school equivalency credential (GED) or improving your English language fluency (ESL) while gaining valuable job skills in industry-specific bridge classes at the same time.

Career Pathways Include:

✅ Early Childhood Education (CDA)
✅ Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
✅ Manufacturing (Forklift Certification)
✅ Commercial Driver’s License (CDL A)

The IRC’s Career Development staff will be available to assist with enrollment at this event. Contact [email protected] to RSVP!

Join the IRC in Atlanta’s Microenterprise Development (MED) program for a Small Business Pop-Up event at Refuge Coffee Co. TOMORROW and support local refugee and immigrant entrepreneurs! 🌍💡

Taste a variety of traditional ethnic foods and peruse unique handmade products while you enjoy delicious coffee! ☕

📅 Saturday, May 4, 2024

⏰ 10am-2pm

📍 Refuge Coffee Co., 4170 E Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Clarkston, GA 30021

Much of the MED program’s success is made possible by Georgia community members—like you—who support these growing businesses—as volunteers, donors, interns, mentors and patrons. We know that refugees and immigrants bring many skills, strengths and talents with them as they rebuild their lives in the United States, and we are honored to support these entrepreneurial and resilient individuals in the pursuit of their own American dream.

We look forward to seeing you there!

A huge thank you to all of our amazing Microenterprise Development (MED) clients who joined us earlier this week for a small business networking session in celebration of ! 🌎💼

In FY23, the IRC in Atlanta’s MED team supported the start, maintenance, and growth of 219 businesses and supported business owners to access $283,930 in business loans and grant relief!

Participants at the event were able to network with fellow entrepreneurs from various industries and backgrounds and learn more about resources available for small business owners here in Georgia.

TOMORROW! Join the IRC in Atlanta for the first installment of our new workshop series, Digital Essentials: Tools for Business Owners. Social media is not just an option, but a requirement for any successful business! Our first workshop in the series, Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses, is for aspiring and existing business owners from all backgrounds and will cover growing your audience, creating and planning content, and turning likes into sales!

📅 Friday, April 26, 2024
⏰ 11am-12pm
📍 The IRC in Atlanta office, 2305 Parklake Dr, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30345

Register now at bit.ly/DigitalEssentialsSeries and to learn more, contact [email protected] 📧

Our New Roots Garden Club students and Youth Food Justice interns have been busy getting the Clarkston High School gardens ready for spring. In this picture, the students are planting flowers in their pollinator garden! 🦋🌻🐝🌷

The New Roots team and students will be at the Refuge Coffee Co. Spring Market this Saturday, April 27, in Clarkston, selling freshly harvested herbs and veggies and handmade botanical crafts. Be sure to stop by and check out their stall and all the other amazing small businesses this weekend, starting at 9am! 🌍

📣 Sign up for the IRC in Atlanta’s Monthly Newsletter and receive email updates on our programming and events! 💌

💛 Hear the stories and voices of our refugee and immigrant neighbors

💛 Learn about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved in making

💛 Use your voice and engage in advocacy efforts to keep Georgia—and the U.S.—welcoming to newcomers

💛 See your local donations in action—supporting our Atlanta programs, services and humanitarian mission!

Sign up today at: bit.ly/IRCATLNews

The IRC in Atlanta’s Microenterprise Development (MED) program provides technical assistance, financial capability training and lending services to support refugees, immigrants, and other Georgia community members to start or expand their own small business. We’ve got three exciting workshops/events coming up in the month of April and we hope to see you there! Please share with any small business owners in your life!

📅 Tuesday, April 23 from 11am – 12pm: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Overview of Loans & Services

🧑‍🏫 Join Georgia SBA Representative, Jeffrey Patterson, for an informational session on SBA lending and services.

➡️ Register here: https://bit.ly/AprilMED



📅 Friday, April 26 from 11am – 12pm: Social Media Marketing for Small Businesses

🧑‍🏫 The first workshop in our new Digital Essentials Series covers how to grow your social audience, create compelling content, and turn likes into sales!

➡️ Register here: https://bit.ly/DigitalEssentialsSeries



📅 Tuesday, April 30 from 6pm – 7:30pm: National Small Business Week Networking for Small Business Owners

🤝💼 Join the IRC in Atlanta for a small business networking session in celebration of National Small Business Week. Take the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs from various industries, backgrounds, and expertise.

➡️ Register here: https://bit.ly/AprilMED



All of our April events will take place at the IRC in Atlanta office, located at 2305 Parklake Drive NE, Ste 100, Atlanta 30345.