Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS)

Frankner is often the first student to show up each morning for CRIS’ intermediate English class. He works the night shift at a local warehouse, but he does not let that stop him from faithfully attending English class three mornings a week, staying engaged in the classes, and even offering classmates rides home in his car on occasion.

Frankner worked in civil service in his home country of Haiti. As civil and political unrest and gang violence escalated in his homeland in recent years, his work put him in increased danger. He was forced to make the difficult decision to leave his family in search of safety. He was able to come to the U.S. last year as a humanitarian parolee and moved to Columbus to be near relatives. He quickly began building a new life here: he secured a job and even saved enough money to purchase a car.

The CRIS Newcomer Support Services team has helped him navigate elements of the transition to life here in the United States and he is a dedicated student in CRIS’ English classes. He hopes to work hard enough to have his own home one day and be reunited with his family.

Important CRIS Legal Services Updates!

Beginning in September, the CRIS Legal Services clinic schedule is changing.

We will now host two Haitian Legal Clinics per month, on the first and second Tuesdays. We will also have two Ukrainian Legal Clinics per month, on the third and fourth Tuesdays. Additionally, our Refugee Adjustment Day will now take place on the first Wednesday of each month. There will be 25 available appointments on each of these days on a first-come, first-served basis (between 8:30 AM and 12:00 noon).

Previously, only one clinic was held per month per community; these changes reflect an increase in our service capacity.

Those who are not a part of the communities listed above and want to schedule an initial consultation (intake appointment) with CRIS Legal Services may call 380-LAW-CRIS (380-529-2747) on the first business day of each month to schedule.

Make sure to visit crisohio.org/services/legal-services or email Carolina Iporre ([email protected]) for more information.

We’re excited to welcome back to the CRIS Office the Ohio State University Extension SNAP-Ed Program for a multi-session nutrition course with some of our beloved refugee seniors. Together they are learning the principles of healthy nutrition, how to maintain health, and how to prevent disease all through a balanced diet.

Every Wednesday, we can count on receiving delicious donations thanks to Columbus Food Rescue and Littleton’s Market! Our wonderful receptionist Kristin Jackson ensures the food donations are properly stored and organized until staff members can distribute them to those we serve.

Sifting through all of the information (and misinformation) available about refugees and immigrants in the U.S. can be challenging these days. CRIS’ Good Neighbor Training was created as a space for interested community members to gather together with CRIS staff to learn facts and information about the refugee resettlement process in the U.S. and its historical and modern contexts, all through the lens of real-life stories and experiences.

The Good Neighbor Training provides factual answers to seemingly simple questions like, “Who are refugees?”

Have questions? Interested in learning more? Want to get involved in CRIS’ work as a volunteer? We would love for you to join us for an upcoming Good Neighbor Training, offered monthly both in person at the CRIS office and online. Our next scheduled training is this Monday, August 19th, from 6-8 PM. Register today: crisohio.org/gnt-registration.

The cool mornings and warm evenings of this month are beautiful invitations to get out in nature. Earlier this summer, the CRIS Refugee Health & Wellness team hosted a nature wellness group for some of our recently arrived refugees. Group participants were able to explore local parks alongside CRIS team members, while discussing the role that nature can play in mental health and wellness.

It is a privilege to offer these opportunities to those we serve that not only provide a break from the stresses of resettlement but also foster mental and emotional well-being.

Today at 2:57 PM EST, Weini Kelati will run for gold in the Women’s 10,000 meter race at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Born in Eritrea, Weini sought asylum in the U.S. in 2014 as a 17-year-old girl and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.

Weini’s courage and resilience, like so many of those we serve, is inspirational. Helping refugees and immigrants in Central Ohio to be able to pursue their own dreams is a central component of our work and mission.

Join us in this beautiful work by participating in this year’s CRIS 5K + Advocacy Fair! Learn more and register today at crisohio.org.

And best wishes to Weini Kelati—we are cheering you on!!!

“When my parents resettled to the United States in 1988, they had no support. They arrived with two young children—both born in a refugee camp in Pakistan—no higher education, and no formal assistance.”

Mona Dada is a Focus Case Manager with CRIS’ youth mentorship program, Community Connectors. Read more of her story: https://www.crisohio.org/blog/mona-dada.

"My favorite moments are when I introduce mentors to families for the first time—seeing the beginnings of a meaningful relationship for both the mentor and mentee is a special experience."

Farid Ludin is a caseworker and school liaison with CRIS’ youth mentorship program, Community Connectors. Read more of his story: https://www.crisohio.org/blog/farid-ludin.

August 5th ➡️ October 5th

Have you signed up for eleventh annual CRIS 5K + Advocacy Fair yet?!

We’re happy be a part of the RUNColumbus Race Series for the first time this year!

🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️ Only two months until the CRIS 5K! Join us on Saturday, October 5, at the race's new venue, Genoa Park in downtown Columbus! 🌆

🕙 Race start time: 10:00 AM

Support the CRIS mission to help refugees and immigrants achieve safety, stability, and successful integration into the Central Ohio community. 🌍🤝

Both in-person and virtual options available! 📲 Follow the link to learn more.

https://runscore.runsignup.com/Race/OH/Westerville/CRIS5K

After Samiya (pseudonym; pictured right) was resettled by CRIS in 2023, she began attending English classes with veteran CRIS ESL Instructor Kathryn Saperstein. Through her hard work and determination, Samiya has grown so much in her English language abilities that she is now studying to earn her GED.

Kathryn shares, “I started teaching English to refugees in 1986 and never stopped…It is important to me to teach English. I teach refugees English because I want them to have a better life than they had before. They’ve already been through so much–I want them to have a decent quality of life here in the U.S. I believe that as they learn English and/or continue their education here, it is a means, ultimately, of social mobility.”

CRIS’ Match Grant Program is seeking a skilled and experienced ESOL Instructor to provide English language instruction for newly resettled adult refugee individuals as they prepare for employment in the United States. Learn more and apply at crisohio.org/work-with-us.

Somehow August is already here! In July, we welcomed 60 refugees to our community. In order according to arrival numbers, these 60 new neighbors represent eight countries of origin: Afghanistan, Somalia, Venezuela, Pakistan, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nepal and Haiti.

The fiscal year for the Resettlement Program ends on September 30th, so August and September are always extra-busy months here at CRIS. Just in the first two weeks of this month we are expecting to welcome 50 new arrivals!

Helping families establish food security is a top priority for CRIS’ refugee resettlement program.

Each newly arrived refugee family we welcome home to Columbus is provided a culturally appropriate hot meal on their first day here. In the weeks and months following their arrival, establishing food security in their new home can be challenging for refugees. Finding a job, learning public transportation, and navigating unfamiliar food systems are all barriers to food security. Limited access to resources and support networks also plays a role. The CRIS team takes a multi-faceted approach to address these challenges, providing supplemental food support to help as families transition into their new lives.

We partner with local food pantries and strive to connect those we serve with resources near them. We have incredible volunteers who serve as food pantry connectors and donate grocery grams. This summer, we’ve also been fortunate to have Riley, a summer fellow through the Columbus Foundation, whose time has been dedicated to food security with those we serve.

Riley shares, “My passion for partnership building and desire to serve Columbus’s diverse refugee and immigrant populations drove me to intern at CRIS…Through my time at CRIS, I have learned so much about barriers to obtaining food, how food pantries function, and how to create partnerships based on shared missions. More importantly, however, seeing CRIS’ work across its programs has shown me the incredible complexities that go into each resettlement case. Each family we serve has different needs, so it is crucial to understand your role and how to serve someone best.”

As the 2024 Olympic Games kick off in Paris tonight, join us in cheering on the Refugee Olympic Team! Created in 2016 by the International Olympic Committee, this team is specifically for elite competitors who are UNHCR-recognized refugees living in host countries. This year’s team consists of 37 athletes who represent the 120 million forcibly displaced people worldwide.

Like these athletes, those we serve every day at CRIS exemplify resilience and inspire us to work toward a more hopeful, inclusive future for all.

One Refugee Olympic Team representing over 100 Million displaced people. #ForThe100Million 📲 Want to watch live sport and original documentaries for free? Check out our website: https://oly.ch/WatchLiveSportThey've travelled further and fought har...

Who’s ready for Kindergarten? Laila* is! Over the last couple of months, this young learner has had weekly in-home sessions with CRIS team member Wendy Tipton. Laila has expanded her English skills, practiced writing, learned to identify letters and letter sounds, and many other Kindergarten readiness skills. She will start her formal schooling journey next month with a solid foundation.

Wendy is an Early Refugee Student Impact Case Manager through our youth mentorship program Community Connectors. Our Early RSI programming aims to ensure that newly arrived refugee parents and their children ages zero through five are prepared to succeed in school.

(A special shout out and thanks to Future Ready Five in partnership with the Columbus Metropolitan Library and Seeds of Caring Columbus for their recent donation of literacy toolkits for our Early RSI kiddos–pictured in use here!)

“When can I start working?”

This is often among the first questions newly arrived refugees ask. The CRIS employment program aims to prepare refugees for the workplace in order to help them achieve the goal of long-term self-sufficiency and integration in the Central Ohio community. This includes English language instruction, skills-based instruction, interview practice, and individual employment counseling. Recently, the CRIS Employment team has innovated new approaches to workplace preparation with some of those they serve.

CRIS employment counselors recently took a group of program participants to a day of training with the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC Local 55). This was an opportunity for the program participants to show their skills and learn what is expected in the bricklaying field in the United States. Following this one-day skills evaluation, participants will start a 4-6 week pre-apprenticeship program through the bricklaying union. During this time, they will not only acquire the skills needed to begin their careers but also have opportunities to meet with local contractors. The goal of this pre-apprenticeship is that participants transition directly into a job and the four-year apprenticeship program with the union, ultimately leading to full journeyman status.

Our team hopes that this partnership will serve as a pilot program for other trades and labor unions, creating pathways for those we serve to learn new skills or hone existing skills to continue building their lives here in Central Ohio.

Happening tomorrow (Saturday, July 13th)!

Join CRIS' youth mentorship program Community Connectors (CC) for their largest annual event: the Columbus Nations Cup, a one-day soccer tournament. Stop by Pathways Park (4475 Sunbury Road, near Easton) between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM to catch some great games; parking is free. Make sure to stop by the CRIS tent to say hello!

“Growing up as a middle-class child in Tanzania was a formative experience for me. My community was rife with poverty, and despite facing our own everyday struggles, my family and I were constantly reminded of how fortunate we were for the relative security we enjoyed. Watching children my age live in completely different circumstances sparked my drive to help others and pushed me to study Public Administration at the University of Dar es Salaam.

After graduating, I began my career in the nonprofit sector working at FEMAPO (The Foundation for Environmental Management and Campaign Against Poverty), where I advocated for robust childhood education, the abolition of child labor, and responsible environmental policy in Tanzania. In 2017, I moved to the US to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree at Minnesota State University, where refugee policy became the dominant theme in my papers.”

Herman Ntuku is a caseworker with CRIS’ Resettlement Program. Read more of his story here: https://www.crisohio.org/blog/staff-spotlight-herman-ntuku.

CRIS’ youth mentorship program Community Connectors (CC) has published a new cookbook! Over 60 original recipes representing 33 countries are featured, all created by mentee home chefs, mentors, parents, grandparents and even a professional chef!

Each cookbook is just $12 (local pick-up; $15 shipped anywhere) and all proceeds to go to CC food funds to support mentees/families to combat food insecurity and provide culturally appropriate resources.

Contact CC Program Manager Jeremy Hollon ([email protected]) to order yours! Already got your copy? Tell us one of your favorite recipes from it in the comments!

"As a mother, I know that the relationship between a parent and child is perhaps the most impactful one in life, and it is gratifying to help those relationships blossom through my work."

Norma Cruz is a Parenting Facilitator with CRIS’ Parenting Program. Read more about her story and work here: https://www.crisohio.org/blog/staff-spotlight-norma-cruz.

For the second time this summer, CRIS Executive Director Angie Plummer made a guest radio appearance on WOSU’s All Sides with Host and Executive Producer Anna Staver on Monday, July 8th.

As the final episode in this season of Untangled focusing on immigration, Angie joined in a conversation on how Ohio can better support our immigrant population. Listen to the full episode: https://www.wosu.org/podcast/untangled.

“I had not planned to do this as part of my retirement, but it has been so incredibly rewarding to me. I get so much more than I give.”

On any given Friday morning, you’ll likely find Rob Newman at the CRIS office teaching a professional development course. You may hear him discussing resume-building, interview skills, networking, and ways of making a good first impression. Rob draws on over 30 years of experience in leadership development, training design and development, and human resources in the high-tech industry in his volunteer teaching. His students are recently arrived refugees with professional skills/experience and strong English language proficiency–business managers, accountants, graduate students looking to continue their studies, and more.

Rob first began volunteering with refugees in 2016 after his retirement, providing support in CRIS English classes and citizenship tutoring. He later developed his own professional development curriculum as a volunteer with US Together and has led this training course at CRIS since December of 2023.
Rob’s motivation to volunteer stems from a deeply personal place. Witnessing the dehumanizing narratives around immigrants and refugees, he felt compelled to act. "My desire is to make refugees feel welcome in this country," Rob shares. His commitment is also a way to honor his heritage, as his grandparents immigrated to the United States seeking economic and religious freedom.

“Refugees are so interested in succeeding here in the U.S…helping them do so is tremendously exciting. Retirement is fun beyond my wildest dreams because of the volunteering that I do.”

Whatever your age or stage of life, there are so many ways to get involved with CRIS! Learn more about our work, the refugee process, and ways of making a Columbus more welcoming at our next Good Neighbor Training on Wednesday, July 17th, from 5:30-7:30 PM. Register here: crisohio.org/gnt-registration. We hope you’ll join us!

“I first learned about CRIS due to an interest in the art, cuisine, and culture of groups of immigrants in Columbus. In my experience as an intern in the Match Grant program, I’ve gotten the opportunity to work closely with New American families and better understand the challenges and opportunities associated with refugee resettlement in Columbus. I am deeply appreciative for the chance to learn from people with the passion and expertise to make a difference in our community."

Alex is a student at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs who is currently interning with CRIS' Match Grant Program. CRIS is offering a wide range of internship opportunities this fall. The deadline to submit an application for Fall 2024 Internships is Sunday, July 7th. Learn more at https://www.crisohio.org/internships.

Using this map as a guide, can you guess the countries of origin of our newest neighbors?

In the month of June, CRIS welcomed 45 newly resettled refugees from seven different countries. Leave your best guesses for countries 1-7 in the comments, then check back later today to see the answers!

CRIS’ eleventh annual 5K + Advocacy Fair is set to return to Genoa Park in downtown Columbus on Saturday, October 5th. With a one-mile walk option, a beautiful 5K run/walk course nestled in downtown Columbus, and a free kids fun run—this is truly an experience for everyone! Learn more and register: crisohio.org/5k.

Have you heard?! We're hiring! The CRIS Resettlement Program is hiring some capacity-building positions to support an expected increase in arrivals through the remainder of the fiscal year: housing assistant (Afghan languages), Housing Assistant and Rental Resource Coordinator, Transportation/Driver, Case Aide, Caseworker, Compliance Administrative Support, School Enrollment Coordinator and Community Resource Assistant. These positions are funded through December 31, 2024, at which time their continuation will be assessed based on program needs and funding. We are also currently seeking qualified candidates for an Early Refugee Student Impact Case Manager position. If you or someone you know may be interested in and qualified for these roles, visit crisohio.org/work-with-us to learn more and submit an application.