THE NEED: WHY WE’RE HERE

Resettling refugee families are uniquely vulnerable to isolation and stress inducing experiences. After fleeing their homes, sacrificing everything, and having their lives, education and careers disrupted, resettling families arrive to the U.S. to rebuild their lives. While resettling families yearn for community and social connections upon arrival, COVID-19 greatly limited those opportunities. Resettling students and parents are especially impacted and their emotional well-being is important to address. Community closures and social distancing requirements have resulted in a reality where resettling refugee families have limited opportunities to meet their new American neighbors, integrate into their new communities, and practice speaking English. School is typically full of big events, emotions and opportunities to make friends, but COVID-19 restrictions have left resettling students in deep isolation. Students are unable to gather and be social with peers, missing out on conversations and connections vital for their emotional well-being. Miry’s List programming fills this void by connecting resettling families virtually with their new neighbors to socialize, make new friends, practice English and develop confidence and emotional wellbeing. Our COVID-19 Emergency Action identifies and responds to resettling families with urgent needs, focusing on two critical areas: 1) supplies for safely isolating at home and 2) virtual learning, school supplies, laptops for resettling students. We address these families' needs through a combination of appeals to individuals, institutional funders, corporate partners, and coordination with community volunteers. As we isolate in our homes, socially distant from our closest ones, Miry’s List remains fundamentally committed to ensuring resettling refugee parents, children, babies and teens are not forgotten or left behind. We work to ensure that they continue to feel support from their surrounding community. u

Survival mode is isolating, scary, and exhausting. Brand new arrival families are in survival mode, often living in hotel rooms or sparsely-furnished apartments, completely overwhelmed. The goal in this initial Survive phase Is for each family member to rest, and feel safe.

Once a family has moved into their permanent home, Our compassionate community surrounds our families with the people, programming, and supplies needed to rebuild their lives and prepare for the future.

Once families have fully settled into their new permanent homes and lives, they are invited to join our community support system, with a balance of giving and receiving, increasing their sense of wellbeing and belonging. In this phase, our families feel safe, empowered, hopeful, and supported.