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Refugee & Immigration Services ‘fol people
Refugee Resettlement Services (RRS)
Parishes Organized to Weleome Refugees (POWR) Program
Catholic Charities and Parish/Church Sponsor Agreement
Welcome to the POWR program! We are humbled by the outpouring of support for new refugee
families and parish/church commitment to participate in the POWR program. The POWR
agreement below is between Catholic Charities and your parish/church; please review, comment
and obtain signature from the pastor or his designee. The agreement is not intended to be a
legally binding document, rather, it is to serve as @ guide for our journey together as we welcome
and resettle a refugee family. ‘The guidelines are based on US Department of State Bureau of
Population, Refugees and Migration Reception and Placement (R&P) sub-contract terms and
conditions for an agency to administer the US refagee resettlement program.
tholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP) Agrees t
1. Retain fall responsibility for meeting all Reception and Placement (R&P) contractual
requirements, resettlement goals and objectives and not hold parish/church responsible for
program performance.
2. Provide a designated staff member, most often the POWR coordinator, to serve as the liaison
between Catholic Charities and the parish/chure,
3. Train and prepare the parish/church for resettlement of a refugee family; conducting the
trainings at locations and times convenient for parish/church volunteers and leadership.
Offer materials for spiritual reflection, backgrounders on refugee populations, and other
related materials to help prepare congregation,
4, Identify a refugee family to be assigned to the parish/chureh, after consultation with the
parish leadership team about the strengths of the parish/chureh and specific capacities that
are available.
Assign, as possible, a refugee family to the parish/church within twelve months of the
signing of the agreement.
6. Provide designated parish/church liaison with updates on family assignment and arrival
dates. As available, provide medical updates and any special needs of the family.
7. Provide designated liaison with contact information for the case manager and supervisor one
week before the family’s arrival.
8, Take over any and all remaining responsibilities for resettlement should the relationship
between the refugee family and the parish/church break-down.
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275 West Broadway + South Boston, MA 02127 « Tek: 617-464-8100 « Fax: 617-464-8150 « www.ccaborg,Catholic .
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[Name of the Parish/Church] Agrees to:
1. Participate in the POWR program as a parish/church partner for a period of no less than six
months after the assigned refugee family arrives to the US.
2. Create a core committee of (suggested) 5-6 people to oversee the POWR implementation in
the parish/church. From the core committee, appoint a person and a back-up to serve as the
primary liaison(s) for Catholic Charities POWR coordinator.
3. Ensure volunteers working with the refuugee family adhere to confidentiality agreement (if
parish/chureh does not have one, Catholic Charities can provide) and are screened and vetted
according to parish/diocesan standards.
4, Inform Catholic Charities of any media inquiries related to the POWR partnership or refugee
family. Requests from the media to interview the refugee family should be discussed
thoroughly with the refugee family, Catholic Charities and parish/church POWR core
committee.
5. Welcome and assist a refugee family become part of the parish/chureh community while
helping the family toward achievement of financial self-sufficiency and, integration and full
participation in their new community.
6. Accept arefuugee family regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, orientation, or political
opinion.
7. Assist POWR coordinator with tracking volunteer time, cash and in-kind donations and
family progress.
8. Conduct the following direct service activities prior to and post arrival of refugee family:
Pre-Arrival:
Secure housing: using R&P Home Safety Checklist (Attachment 1) from Department of
State find a safe and affordable apartment in a refugee and immigrant friendly
neighborhood/community. Ensure utilities are tuned on and in working order prior to the
day of arrival.
1 Furnish the apartment to meet the basic needs of the family in accordance with the items
required on the R&P Supply Checklist (Attachment 2): basic fumishings, household
g00ds, linens, personal and toiletry items, and baby/children specific as applicable. Be
cautious not to go “overboard” and overwhelm the family with expensive furnishings or
home items—this can give the family a false impression of reality in the US.
0 Purchase/donate one week worth of culturally appropriate, nutritious groceries and put
in apartment
1 Donate clothes, shoes and other items to augment the personal items brought by the
family,
10 Prepare a culturally appropriate warm meal the day of the family’s arrival. The intent is
to have a meal/food waiting for the family when they arrive after their very long journey.
275 West Broadway » South Boston, MA 02127 » Tek 617-464-8100 + Fax: 617-464-8150 « wovw.ceaborgCatholic cose
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Arrival and Post-Arrival:
11 Welcome the refuges family: along with RRP staff, greet family upon arrival and
assist with transportation to permanent housing. It is often nice to have balloons,
flowers or a sign to show welcome. Bring warm coats and shoes to the airport for
each family member if the family is arriving from a climate that does not experience
winter.
Accompany and assist RRP case manager and refugee family in completion of core
service activities outlined in the R&P Core Services Checklist (Attachment 3). In
addition to core service activities, help family with reading and understanding mail,
setting up an email account, ensuring utilities are in the name of the family, the
employable adults know how to get to required services such as employment and as
applicable, help parents engage with their child’s school,
(0 Subsidize the monthly rent for the refugee family’s apartment as applicable, Refugee
family must contribute at least 70% of their temporary cash assistance benefits toward
rent and be actively engaged in employment activities to receive subsidy support.
RRP staff will work with designated parish/church liaison to determine a fair amount
of subsidy support to offset the cost of monthly rent for the refugee family’s
apartment during the first six to eight months after arrival.
Orient the refugee family to their new community: show refugees how to use the
public transportation system, where to go grocery shopping, how to find the foods
they like, where the post office is, how to pay bills, how to open a bank account,
‘budgeting and saving, etc. RRP can provide educational materials to help orient
clients to American culture. Help the family find a place of worship to their religion
if the family expresses an interest in this type of support. As able, arrange
educational and fun excursions for the refugee family.
Assist with family self-sufficiency: encourage refugees to search for employment and
practice English, share American workplace cultural norms.
O Share your knowledge: informally offer English language practice, explain US
customs and laws, best places to find inexpensive goods, etc.
Refrain from “doing” everything for the family. It is important that the family be
earning how to navigate their new life on theit own and become independent.
Parish/Chureh Partner Name & Signature Date
RIS RRP Name & Signature Date
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275 West Broadway « South Boston, MA 02127 « Tel: 617-464-8100 « Fax: 617-464-8150 « www.ccahorg