Programs

 

It is RAA's privilege to welcome former refugees from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to South Florida. Our #1 goal is to help them find a community and the support they need to navigate their new life here. Our programs and services include: 

  • Navigating the USA with Community Sponsorship Teams  A one-year intensive program where newly-arrived refugee families are matched with a Community Sponsorship Team who are trained by us and use our in-house curriculum (Navigating the USA) and coaching to befriend and assist the family as they learn to live in their new homeland. We listen to the family's needs and prioritize their goals while covering topics like healthcare, finances, education, digital literacy, and more. Volunteers must apply, and should ideally come from an already-existing community of people who wish to volunteer with them, like a church, temple or mosque group, a neighborhood group, an established organization of some kind.  Being involved up close with a refugee family is a big commitment, but incredibly rewarding. 

  • Navigating English  An online English program that recognizes that the established avenues for immigrants and refugees to learn English often contain difficult barriers for our client’s unique needs. In this program, clients are grouped by their level with other former refugees to study with ESL trained teachers for 2-4 hours per week. Volunteers must commit to a 4 month class teaching schedule and curriculum to apply. 

  • Cultural and Community Events 
    RAA provides cultural and community events not only for our clients but also for the larger community. We bring people from diverse backgrounds together with a focus on building peace and understanding between communities as well as building communities for former refugees. Some of our events provide supplemental income for our female (chef) clients through TASTE dinners. We also work to educate the greater community about the refugee resettlement process or related, topical issues. See our Events page for a list of our current and past events.

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  • Direct Assistance  Whether directly through RAA or through their Community Sponsorship Team, each family receives a Welcome Basket when they are greeted by our team, a gifted laptop, occasional food, school, or goods distributions, and fundraisers or donations for household needs

  • Kids’ Club RAA’s clientele typically contains more children than adults, and we see it as our job not only to provide assistance to them but also to the community as well. We do this through our Navigating the USA program, tutoring, and events for kids such as art and music workshops, park fun days, book and school supply drives, and more.

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  • Tutoring RAA connects every interested child and adult student with tutoring services as needed. Our children study with in-house tutors or with JaxTHRIVE, and our adults have assigned GED, college, or job preparation tutors as needed. 

  • Referrals Our staff and Navigating the USA and Community Sponsorship volunteers routinely and effectively refer our clients to our community partners and existing local services as needs arise. RAA has a complete, regularly updated, in-house Resource Guide based on our clients' unique needs, helping us properly refer our clients for any assistance we are unable to provide in-house.

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