Walmart Awards LIRS Grant for New American Cities Program

New American Cities: Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service receives Walmart grant to foster financial mobility amongst refugees and migrants

$1,000,000 award will help modern program serving to New People entry alternatives to upskill and construct pathways to financial and social inclusion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2022
Contact: Tim Younger | tyoung@lirs.org | 443-257-6310

Washington D.C. — Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, a number one nationwide refugee resettlement nonprofit, introduced that Walmart has awarded the group a $1,000,000 grant to implement New American Cities – a program to reinforce collaboration between native governments, workforce facilities, employers and resettlement companies within the pursuit of a greater method to financial self-sufficiency for refugee and migrant households.

“The challenges refugees face in rebuilding their lives in the US are daunting. They’re typically required to just accept low-wage, entry-level positions providing little alternative for development,” mentioned Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). “Due to Walmart’s help, we are able to reimagine help programs to unlock the potential of latest People and revitalize the cities they name residence.”

The New American Cities program builds on the success of a earlier LIRS pilot program funded by Walmart., by which 167 refugees discovered a big influence on profession development and wages and 81% of these positioned in a job have been positioned of their chosen profession pathway.

One participant within the pilot program was Julienne, a former refugee from Rwanda. When Julienne started this system, she had a job as a caregiver in a nursing residence making about $8 per hour. After working with a profession navigation specialist, she was capable of safe a profession as a Group Assist Employee for pregnant girls and new moms, a lot of whom are former refugees themselves. Julienne now makes practically $20 per hour and feels a way of success in her work.

“I began working with Carla, this system supervisor, and she or he helped me with the appliance. I used to be hesitating due to the language and since my bachelor’s diploma was from Africa, however she helped me put together, and that’s how I acquired this job,” Julienne mentioned. “I’m so grateful to Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Now, I like my job as a result of I’m serving to mothers with infants.”

Profession Navigators within the New American Cities program assist refugee and migrant purchasers create individualized profession plans, hook up with expertise coaching, conduct job readiness workshops, and obtain job placement. Pathway Builders, a second place throughout the program, work with employers to establish alternatives for profession development and make sure that trainings provided to New People in this system instantly goal native employers’ highest precedence talent gaps.

“We’re excited to help LIRS because it builds on its pilot program to supply profession alternatives for tons of extra New People,” mentioned Larry Jackson, Senior Director, Alternative at Walmart. “Offering expertise coaching and pathways to high-demand careers creates higher alternatives for these people, and in addition strengthens the communities and companies the place they dwell and work.”

Walmart funds at present help program operations in 4 deliberately chosen areas, representing a various set of New American Cities, to exhibit the effectiveness and applicability of the mannequin inside a spread of group profiles. These areas embrace Albuquerque, NM; Denver, CO; Fayetteville, AR; and Utica, NY.

“When resettlement companies and cities assist refugees attain their full potential, it advantages all of us,” mentioned Lionel Jordan, Mayor of Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The New American Cities challenge is designed to be adaptable and scalable to every collaborating group primarily based on its New American inhabitants and labor market. LIRS estimates that this two-year program will instantly profit about 600 New People and not directly help numerous others of their households and communities. Up to now, LIRS has enrolled 91 complete purchasers throughout the 4 Walmart-supported New American Cities areas.

“With Walmart’s help, we stay up for leveraging our greater than 80 years of experience to innovate a mannequin of programming that meets the current want and units a shining instance for the way forward for welcome,” continued Vignarajah. “By means of this partnership, we are able to change lives, strengthen native economies, shift the narratives round refugees, and create an inclusive framework that can help hundreds extra to come back.”

To study extra concerning the New American Cities program, contact LIRS Press Secretary Timothy Younger at tyoung@lirs.org

To study extra about the way you or your basis can help New American Cities, contact LIRS Company and Basis Relations Specialist Leah Johnson at: funding@lirs.org

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