IRM provides refugees with the information and services they require to thrive in their new communities.
Interfaith Refugee Ministry’s task is to assist refugees with the basic necessities when they first arrive in New Bern and surrounding areas. This includes, but is not limited to, assistance with housing, food, clothing, employment, learning English, and cultural orientation. The ultimate goal is to help refugees become self-reliant, emotionally secure and culturally adjusted in their new home. Ea
ch year, Interfaith Refugee Ministry resettles new refugee families from around the world. Our staff, working with volunteers, civic groups and faith communities, ensures each refugee will receive basic initial support as they begin a new life in a strange land. We try to provide a bridge for these persecuted people who are coming out of the darkness of a shattered life into the bright hope of a better future. Initial Assistance Includes The Following:
Arrival
Meet the refugee at the airport; and provide transportation to housing. Housing & Furnishings
Assist with housing and provide basic household furnishings. Food
Provide food, or food allowance as well as other basic living needs. Clothing
Provide basic clothing for the refugee, appropriate to the climate. Health
Assist the refugee in receiving an initial health exam. Social Security Card
Assist the refugee in applying for a Social Security card. Employment
Help find a job for each employable refugee; enroll refugee in job training programs or on-the-job training. Education
Enroll the refugee in English language classes; assist with school registration for children. Orientation
Help the refugee become oriented in the community; show how to shop, use public transportation, emergency telephone numbers, understand local customs and laws, obtain a driver license, life and health insurance, bank accounts, etc.
In 1951, the United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees adopted a policy defining a refugee as one who has fled her or his country of origin because of a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political affiliation. Refugees are on every continent and in almost every country. They are forced to flee their homes because of war, civil conflict, political strife or gross human rights abuses.
Those victims of persecution and upheaval who uproot but cannot cross a border are considered internationally displaced persons (IDPs). The current UNHCR estimate of worldwide IDPs is around 20 million.
