Refugees Helping Refugees

We would like to thank everyone for your continuous support of Refugees Helping Refugees, especially with this year campaign. With your support, we are able to serve the Refugee and New American population of Rochester, NY and beyond. Thank you!

Sicerely,
The Staff at Refugees Helping Refugees

“Hello, my name is Efrain J. DeJesus. I am the Office Assistant at Refugees Helping Refugees. I have an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts from MCC, and a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in History from SUNY Brockport. I joined Refugees Helping Refugees in the fall of 2017 as a volunteer because I wanted to give back to the community.”

“Hola, mi nombre es Efraín J. DeJesus. Soy el asistente de oficina de Refugees Helping Refugees. Tengo una licenciatura en Artes Liberales de MCC y una licenciatura en Historia de SUNY Brockport. Me uní a Refugees Helping Refugees en el otoño de 2017 como voluntaria porque quería contribuir a la comunidad”.

“Hello, my name is Amber Walker and I was born in raised in Rochester, NY. My grandparents are from Puerto Rico. And I am the current president of Zeta Amicae of Monroe County. Which entails outseeing women to further their accomplishment within the community. I work as the Office Manager for Refugees Helping Refugees, give me a call and I’m more than happy to help!”

“Hola, mi nombre es Amber Walker y nací y crecí en Rochester, Nueva York. Mis abuelos son de Puerto Rico. Y soy el actual presidente de Zeta Amicae del condado de Monroe. Lo que implica supervisar a las mujeres para promover sus logros dentro de la comunidad. Trabajo como Gerente de la Oficina para Refugiados que Ayudan a Refugiados, ¡llámame y estaré más que feliz de poder ayudarte!”

Good morning everyone!!

ROC the Day is TODAY! We are accepting monetary donations through the link and donations of any sort dropped off at our office (546 Oxford St. Rochester, NY 14620). If you are unable to donate, no worries! Just give this post a share or a mention on your story to get the word out about the great things ROC the Day provides.

Our GoFundMe link is added on this post, in our bio of our page, as well as on our website.

Stop by our office today for a free Thanksgiving Turkey! We are located at 546 Oxford Street, Rochester NY 14607. They are available while supplies last!

This year's will be EPIC! Send some love our way this
, click the link in our bio to donate!

Hello everyone,

Seeing as we are entering the season of giving, we are in need of many items to assist the well known refugee community here within Rochester.

Refreshments:
-Coffee
-Tea
-Condiments (non-perishable)
-Sugar
-Cups

Bathroom and Kitchen Supplies:
-Paper towels
-Toilet paper
-Kleenex tissues
-Hand soap refills (liquid)
-Hand sanitizers
-Women's sanitary needs (tampons, pads)
-Lotion
-Razors
-Shampoo
-Conditioner
-Trash bags (tall kitchen)
-Disinfectant wipes (Lysol, Microban, Clorox, etc.)

Just a reminder, that these pertain to the continuing needs of our refugees. If you can donate any or all, please call us at 585-563-7747 or stop by our office and drop the donations off.

“Howdy y’all!!
My name is Rachel Jarrett, and I was born and raised in East Texas. Last May, I graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Arabic studies. You are probably wondering what a young Caucasian woman is doing minoring in Arabic studies; she will never get the pillars of our community not to mention the culture that is so widely respected and valued by all. But my response is, I want to know because knowledge and education is power. I have always thought that becoming fluent in another language is an essential attribute to progress our world forward.
Regarding my job, I relocated to the city of Rochester, NY to work here at Refugees Helping Refugees. I am an AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) via the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), working for RHR for one year. I have a strong passion for mission work, service, and kiddos. Therefore, I am so honored to be placed in an atmosphere to help with every facet of refugees’ lives. My job description includes boosting the social media, assist with fundraising as well as organizing events, and contacting donors to ensure higher levels of food security and anti-poverty in the Rochester area.
If y'all ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask!!”

“¡¡Hola a todos!!
Mi nombre es Rachel Jarrett y nací y crecí en el este de Texas. En mayo pasado, me gradué de la Universidad Texas A&M con una Licenciatura en Sociología y especialización en estudios árabes. Probablemente se esté preguntando qué hace una joven caucásica estudiando estudios árabes; ella nunca conseguirá los pilares de nuestra comunidad, sin mencionar la cultura que es tan respetada y valorada por todos. Pero mi respuesta es: quiero saberlo, porque el conocimiento y la educación son poder. Siempre he pensado que dominar otro idioma es un atributo esencial para hacer avanzar nuestro mundo.
En cuanto a mi trabajo, me mudé a la ciudad de Rochester, Nueva York para trabajar aquí en Refugees Helping Refugees. Soy AmeriCorps VISTA (Voluntarios al servicio de Estados Unidos) a través de la Coalición de Inmigración de Nueva York (NYIC) y trabajo para RHR durante un año. Tengo una gran pasión por el trabajo misionero, el servicio y los niños. Por lo tanto, me siento muy honrado de estar ubicado en una atmósfera que ayuda en cada faceta de la vida de los refugiados. La descripción de mi trabajo incluye impulsar las redes sociales, ayudar con la recaudación de fondos, así como organizar eventos y contactar a los donantes para garantizar niveles más altos de seguridad alimentaria y lucha contra la pobreza en el área de Rochester. Si alguna vez necesitáis algo, ¡¡no dudéis en preguntar!!"

This year's will be EPIC! Send some love our way this
on November 28th. Click this link https://gofund.me/a2a69ef6 to donate!

Let's make it even bigger and better this year! Take the time to invest in ROC the Day's 12th year on November 28th. To donate, click the link in our bio! (www.ROCtheDay.org)

“Andriana is our Grants Manager. She previously served in various capacities at Refugees Helping Refugees, most recently as our Executive Director. She spent several years in NYC working in human rights providing direct service to clients, trainings, continues to provide these trainings on best practices for trauma, language access and related issues for various government exchange programs, public and private institutions on behalf of RHR. She is an expert in human trafficking and provides consults and expert witness testimony for cases as well.”
“Andriana es nuestra Gerente de Subvenciones. Anteriormente ocupó diversos cargos en Refugees Helping Refugees, más recientemente como nuestra Directora Ejecutiva. Pasó varios años en Nueva York trabajando en derechos humanos brindando servicio directo a clientes, capacitaciones, y continúa brindando estas capacitaciones sobre mejores prácticas para trauma, acceso al idioma y temas relacionados para varios programas de intercambio gubernamentales, instituciones públicas y privadas en nombre de RHR. Es experta en trata de personas y también brinda consultas y testimonios de peritos para casos.”

“Hello, my name is Sumayah; I graduated from SUNY Brockport with a psychology degree. I am fluent in Arabic and English, and I know some Spanish. I love helping others, also I enjoy cooking and painting. Previously, I worked as an Arabic interpreter. At Refugees Helping Refugees, I am a case manager. At RHR I assist refugees, asylees, immigrants, and others in applying for jobs, preparing them for interviews, help and conduct case management, and work throughout the hiring process. We help individuals who also are having trouble with insurance, housing, billing, and legal aid.”

“Hola, mi nombre es Sumayah; Me gradué de SUNY Brockport con una licenciatura en psicología. Hablo árabe e inglés con fluidez y sé algo de español. Me encanta ayudar a los demás, también disfruto cocinar y pintar. Anteriormente trabajé como intérprete de árabe. En Refugees Helping Refugees, soy administrador de casos. En RHR ayudo a refugiados, asilados, inmigrantes y otras personas a solicitar empleo, preparándolos para entrevistas, ayudo y llevo a cabo la gestión de casos y trabajo durante todo el proceso de contratación. Ayudamos a personas que también tienen problemas con seguros, vivienda, facturación y asistencia jurídica.”

“My name is Ayan. I am from Somalia but born in Kenya. My parents are Somalis. My family and I have been residing in Rochester, NY for over a decade. I have been at Refugees Helping Refugees since for twelve years. I am a part of RHR’s case management team and am currently attending the University of New York Brockport to obtain a degree in Social Work. As a case manager my primary goal is to ensure that our client's needs are met efficiently and effectively despite any trials and tribulations that arise.”

“Mi nombre es Ayán. Soy de Somalia pero nací en Kenia. Mis padres son somalíes. Mi familia y yo hemos residido en Rochester, Nueva York, durante más de una década. Llevo doce años trabajando en Refugees Helping Refugees. Soy parte del equipo de gestión de casos de RHR y actualmente asisto a la Universidad de Nueva York Brockport para obtener un título en Trabajo Social. Como administrador de casos, mi objetivo principal es garantizar que las necesidades de nuestros clientes se satisfagan de manera eficiente y efectiva a pesar de cualquier prueba y tribulación que surja”.

“Haji Yuldash is a youth coordinator at Refugees Helping Refugees and a community advocate in Rochester, New York. He has tremendous years of experience working with youth and refugees in Rochester, and before moving to the United States, he worked as an ESL teacher and program development officer and cultural advisor in Afghanistan.
Yuldash is a passionate advocate for his people, and he uses his positive attitude and courage to help others. He is also a talented writer and translator, and he has published a collection of fables in his native language.
Yuldash graduated from SUNY Brockport, NY and speaks multiple languages.
Yuldash is a valuable asset to the Rochester community, and he is making a real difference in the lives of refugees and youth.”
“Haji Yuldash es coordinador juvenil de Refugees Helping Refugees y defensor comunitario en Rochester, Nueva York. Tiene tremendos años de experiencia trabajando con jóvenes y refugiados en Rochester, y antes de mudarse a los Estados Unidos, trabajó como profesor de ESL y oficial de desarrollo de programas y asesor cultural en Afganistán.
Yuldash es un apasionado defensor de su pueblo y utiliza su actitud positiva y su coraje para ayudar a los demás. También es un talentoso escritor y traductor y ha publicado una colección de fábulas en su lengua materna.
Yuldash se graduó de SUNY Brockport, Nueva York y habla varios idiomas.
Yuldash es un activo valioso para la comunidad de Rochester y está marcando una diferencia real en las vidas de los refugiados y los jóvenes”.

We have started our Healthy Living Program back up again! Thank you to the SUNY Brockport Nutrition students and professors for all of your support and hard work!

Are you ready to on November 28? Show Refugees Helping Refugees how much you love what we do! The link to donate is in our bio, we appreciate all of your support! You can also support via ROCtheDay's website! (roctheday.org)

“Joe is a community volunteer and advocate within his community. He also has experience and credentials in corporate finance management and human resources. Joe is an ESOL teacher at Refugees Helping Refugees. Joe is also a wonderful father for his two children.”

“Joe es un voluntario comunitario y un defensor dentro de su comunidad. También tiene experiencia y credenciales en gestión de finanzas corporativas y recursos humanos. Joe es profesor de ESOL en Refugees Helping Refugees. Joe también es un padre maravilloso para sus dos hijos”.

Good morning everyone,

A family of ours is looking for a vacuum. If you or anyone has one, we would greatly appreciate it!

If you have one you would like to donate, give us a call at (585)563-7747

“Omid Sadat is Refugees Helping Refugees Program Manager and ESOL Teacher.
Omid is originally from Herat, Afghanistan and he has graduated from English literature faculty back in Afghanistan and has 12 years experiences of teaching English language back in Heart, Afghanistan. Omid served for US military back in Afghanistan as an Administrative Assistant and Interpreter. In 2021 Omid Sadat immigrated to USA by Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) and started work as an English as a Secondary Language (ESOL) teacher at Refugees Helping Refugees (RHR) Omid Sadat worked as Human Recourses (HR) Assistant at Lifetime Assistance Inc. in Rochester, New York. After two years of working with Lifetime, Omid Joined to Refugees Helping Refugees family as Program Manager and ESOL Teacher for all refugees. Some of Omid’s accomplishments include medical interpreter certificate from Monroe Community College, TESO/TEFL Certificate from ITTI New York NY verifies that Omid can teach English worldwide, and Food Protection Manager Certified from New York State.”

“Omid Sadat es director del programa Refugiados Ayudando a Refugiados y profesor de ESOL.
Omid es originario de Herat, Afganistán, se graduó en la facultad de literatura inglesa en Afganistán y tiene 12 años de experiencia enseñando inglés en Heart, Afganistán. Omid sirvió para el ejército estadounidense en Afganistán como asistente administrativo e intérprete. En 2021, Omid Sadat emigró a EE. UU. con visas especiales de inmigrante (SIV) y comenzó a trabajar como profesor de inglés como lengua secundaria (ESOL) en Refugees Helping Refugees (RHR). Omid Sadat trabajó como asistente de recursos humanos (HR) en Lifetime Assistance Inc. en Rochester, Nueva York. Después de dos años de trabajar con Lifetime, Omid se unió a la familia Refugees Helping Refugees como gerente de programa y maestro de ESOL para todos los refugiados. Algunos de los logros de Omid incluyen el certificado de intérprete médico de Monroe Community College, el certificado TESO/TEFL de ITTI New York NY verifica que Omid puede enseñar inglés en todo el mundo y el certificado de Gerente de Protección de Alimentos del estado de Nueva York”.

RHR was well represented at the Asian American Federation’s AAPI Roundtable. We discussed the need for culturally competent mental health care, language access, and economic empowerment. Together, we can make sure that New York is a welcoming place for all people to call home.
Thank you for having us!

“Mai Abdullah is Refugees Helping Refugees Executive Director. Mai is a non-profit professional and community advocate; she has been involved with the New Americans throughout her entire career. Mai is a powerful force in the community and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to use their power to advocate for change.

Mai holds a Master’s in Environmental Health and Safety Management from Rochester Institute of Technology and is a graduate of Leadership Rochester (2023) and the YWCA Equity through Development program.”

“Mai Abdullah es la directora ejecutiva de Refugiados Ayudando a los Refugiados. Mai es una defensora comunitaria y profesional sin fines de lucro; Ha estado involucrada con los nuevos americanos durante toda su carrera. Mai es una fuerza poderosa en la comunidad y utiliza su actitud positiva y su energía incansable para alentar a otros a usar su poder para abogar por el cambio.

Mai tiene una Maestría en Gestión de Seguridad y Salud Ambiental del Instituto de Tecnología de Rochester y se graduó de Leadership Rochester (2023) y del programa YWCA Equidad a través del Desarrollo”.

“Sadiya fled the civil war in Somalia in the early 1990s and became a respected educator and advocate for women and girls in refugee camps in Kenya. Advocating for girls’ education was contested and dangerous, and Sadiya’s life was in danger in the camp. Because of that, her application for asylum was fast-tracked and she arrived in the United States in 2001, after residing in refugee camps for ten years. Sadiya continued her tireless advocacy after resettling in Rochester, working with other Somali refugees to form the Somali Community of Western New York (SCWNY), which became Refugees Helping Refugees in 2014.”
“Sadiya huyó de la guerra civil en Somalia a principios de la década de 1990 y se convirtió en una respetada educadora y defensora de las mujeres y niñas en los campos de refugiados de Kenia. Abogar por la educación de las niñas era controvertido y peligroso, y la vida de Sadiya corría peligro en el campo. Por eso, su solicitud de asilo se aceleró y llegó a Estados Unidos en 2001, después de residir en campos de refugiados durante diez años. Sadiya continuó su incansable defensa después de reasentarse en Rochester, trabajando con otros refugiados somalíes para formar la Comunidad Somalí del Oeste de Nueva York (SCWNY), que se convirtió en Refugiados Ayudando a Refugiados en 2014”.

PSA: We are in need of several car seats of all sizes and a large sofa to be donated. If you or anyone can help, please give us a call at (585)-563-7747 or stop by between 9am - 4pm at our office located at 546 Oxford St. Rochester, NY, 14607.

Refugees Helping Refugees updated their business hours.