Refugee and Immigrant Connections

“During 2022, the organization is in the process of changing the name of the organization to refugee and immigrant connections spokane (rics). The new website will be ricspokane.org. The updated organizing documents will become part of the 2022 form 990 report.”

“A draft was provided to the executive director and key officers of the board for review before being finalized.”

“New board members receive a board packet that includes a code of ethics. Each member signs the code of ethics at the beginning of their term. Members are expected to recuse themselves from voting on mattters where a conflict of interest exists.”

“Records of all financial transactions are recored and kept at the administrative office. The treasurer monitors by maintaining monthly report records.”

“Public documents including the form 990/909ez are available upon request.”

“Refugee connections spokane (rcs) is a non-profit organization which works to identify and address barriers to the successful resettlement of refugees and immigrants in the spokane area. Rcs also strives to increase awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the cultures and traditions, resettlement experiences, skills, abilities, and contributions of refugees and immigrants. This means we work with refugee communities and other refugee service providers to develop projects, programs, and resources which benefit refugees and immigrants in the spokane area.”

“Due to the covid-19 pandemic during 2020, many of the regular in- person program and fundraising activities had to be canceled, suspended or delayed. Most of the activities were able to resume in 2021 with health safety precautions put into place.”

“Rcs relied heavily on the volunteers for many functions of the organization. The board members serve on the board as volunteers. Volunteers are essential to the organization carrying out the programs.”

“In the wake of the taliban takeover in afghanistan in august of 2021, several hundred afghan people that fled their homes resettled in spokane. After the initial resettlement process, refugee connections spokane (rics) staff and volunteers partnered with about 25 afghan families to help them connect with essential resources and services to meet basic needs while they settled into their new lives. The services provided by our staff were case management, volunteer coordination, donation drop-offs, and coordination with partner agencies.”

“Refugee elder outreach program this program is dedicated to the empowerment of refugees and immigrants who came to the united states later in life. In addition to ensuring that elders are included in other rcs projects, rcs coordinates activities and events specifically tailored for refugee and immigrant elders. These include: basic esl classes; civic-oriented "settling into spokane" field trips; training in the use of public transportation; nutrition education; and participation in a community garden. Refugee elder/immigrant senior outreach connects clients with esl classes, senior service workshops, civic and cultural field trips, citizenship classes and elder groups with art and music and food. We focus on holistic health, with the goal to enable participants to become citizens.”

“Other programs: world refugee day refugee connections spokane (rcs) takes the lead in coordinating with nearly 12 other local organizations to host a community-wide celebration of local refugees for the annual united nations world refugee day. World refugee day celebration has increased its participation, gathering 700 attendees with a naturalization ceremony, children's activities, international performances, awards ceremony, international food, cultural marketplace, and community agency fair to raise awareness and education about refugees impact in spokane. American law and justice workshop american law & justice workshop addresses the need for refugees and immigrants to understand civic responsibilities. We are renewing this program with partners in community agencies and churches. Law and justice workshop events are dedicated to: 1) fostering a positive view of the u.s. Legal system, given that many refugees come from places where authority is a symbol of threat; 2) explaining the purpose of our criminal justice system and how it functions; 3) identifying key civil rights and liberties; and 4) providing information - in writing - to each participant about where to seek help in protecting those rights. Rcs has collaborated with our community partners to present three workshops since 2013. Police potluck rcs coordinates with the spokane police department to bring officers together with refugee and immigrant communities for an informal meal. These gatherings promote positive relationships and understanding between spd officers and the refugee and immigrant communities. Translator/interpreter course to increase the availability of certified language interpreters and translators, rcs has collaborated with community partners to re-establish regular language certification testing in eastern washington, and to prepare bilingual refugees and immigrants for this test. Through our advocacy, the washington state department and social health services (dshs) now offers regular language certification testing in eastern washington. In addition, we have worked with community volunteers to present a course to prepare bilingual refugees and immigrants to take this test. This means more interpreters will be available to help those refugees and immigrants with limited english skills to communicate with service providers. Patient passports patient passports, in 10 languages including english, contain refugee and immigrant contact information, medical providers, medications, allergies, and other information needed for patient visits to clinics, hospitals, and emergency rooms. Wsu medical school pharmacy students help with outreach and distribution. Patient passports help people with limited english skills to communicate with health care providers to enhance their health and well-being. We make this resource available nationwide. Refugee harvest refugees' harvest mobilizes refugees to glean produce donated from spokane neighbors and farmers distributing it back to the community. Rcs relied heavily on the many volunteers for many functions of the organization. There are about 100 volunteers who provide support. As a young organization, volunteers are essential to the organization carrying out the organations programs. Census 2020 outreach the 2020 census is crucial to many populations, but especially to refugees and immigrants, among lesser counted groups. Partnering with asian pacific islander coalition, rcs is sending census cultural liaisons to russian, arabic, nepali, marshallese, kinyarwanda/swahili/french, karen, chin, hmong, vietnamese and korean to do presentations and education in those communities. We have a link to resources on 2020census.gov, spokane complete count committee, washington non-profits and others leading up to the census count, april 1, 2020. Refugee and immigrant stories - voices of hope this multi-media project developed out of awareness that stories empower and heal. In the midst of a climate of hate, truth in story can”