Journey's End Refugee Services

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Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc. is a local affiliate of Episcopal Migration Ministries, the refugee resettlement service of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of The Episcopal Church. Located in Buffalo, in the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York, Journey’s End Refugee Services, Inc. is a Christian community-based organization with the mission of welcoming refugees without regard to ethnic origin or creed and to assist them to become healthy, independent, contributing members of the community. Through partnerships and collaboration with the community, including Episcopal churches, Journey’s End Refugee Services has served as a model of successful resettlement and integration.

Languages

Journey's End Refugee Services, Inc. staff member are fluent in the following languages: Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chin (Tedim, Zo, Zomi), Dari, Farsi, French, Hindi, Karen, Karenni, Kiswahili, Kinyarwanda, Kurdish, Lingala, Nepali, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Tigrinya.

Community Partners

Journey's End partners with a wide array of community organizations to fulfill its mission:

Buffalo Public School District; Neighborhood Legal Services; Western New York Torture Survivors Center and Lakeshore Behavioral Health and Child Adolescent Treatment Center; The Pride Center of Western New York; SUNY Buffalo Honors College and D’Youville College Occupational Therapy Department; Jericho Road Community Health Center and Community Health Center of Buffalo; Catholic Charities, Jewish Family Services, and the International Institute of Buffalo.

Journey's End participates in various local councils and leadership boards including: Western New York Refugee Asylee Coalition, Buffalo English Language Learners Network, Western New York Infancy Leadership Circle Partnership for the Public Good Language Access Working Group, New Americans Study, and the Say Yes Community Leadership Council

Volunteer opportunities

One time opportunities

Ongoing commitment opportunities

Journey’s End Refugee Services works in partnership with the community partners, congregations, and volunteers to carry out its work welcoming refugees to Buffalo. From providing space for English or job skills classes, to mentoring refugee children, practicing English skills with parents, assisting single mothers with childcare, or accompanying a family on their first trip to an American grocery store, opportunities abound for you and your congregation to make a positive impact on the life of a family and on your wider community. Contact Bryana DiFonzo, Manager of Volunteers for Journey’s End Refugee Services, at bdifonzo@jersbuffalo.org for more information.

Ministries

RESETTLEMENT SERVICES

Immigration Services

With support from Episcopal Migration Ministries, JERS provides services for newly arriving refugees to help them put down roots in their first months in the United States. This includes securing and fully furnishing an apartment for an arriving family; picking up an arriving family at the airport; and ensuring a culturally appropriate meal awaits the family at their new home, right when they arrive. Food is provided for the family until they can provide their own food; seasonal clothing and footwear is provided for each member of the family (including diapers for infants & toddlers) upon arrival. The family is assisted in applying for assistance and services for which they are eligible; each member of the family receives a health assessment. Children are enrolled in school and adults are enrolled in English and cultural orientation classes. Work-ready adults receive employment services and assistance in applying for and securing a job.

YOUTH EDUCATION

Career Services and Education

Children and Youth Ministries

Refugee School Impact Program (RSIP)

The RSIP bridges the cultural and linguistic gap that exists between refugee families and schools and to provide children with academic and social supports to aid in the promotion of success. The Refugee School Impact Program is designed to ease the transition of refugee children into the Buffalo Public School system and to empower parents to be effective partners in the education of their children.

Making A Connection Program

Making a Connection (MAC) is an educational readiness program designed specifically to address the unique needs of mature refugee ELL students in Buffalo, New York. MAC offers an alternative option to achieving one’s educational, vocational and employment goals through classroom instruction, ESL classes, employment training, internship placements and community service opportunities. Individualized services are provided according to the student’s interests, skills, learning styles, English language abilities and personal goals. Certified teachers and translators, in a positive and encouraging environment, deliver instruction and transitional support services. Students are provided with opportunities to build their skills and set their own goals while receiving practical employment experience and preparation for continued education (GED, Vocational Education, College Prep) Prior to program completion students and staff design individualized Transition Plans, outlining goals and steps needed to become a productive and active member of their community.

Academics
A four-week program runs during the summer months to help orientate newly arrived students to the American school system. The program focuses on English language acquisition, classroom orientation and introduction to American curriculum, schedules, and activities. The program is run in conjunction with the Buffalo Public Schools Jumpstart Program and also in partnership with WNY Americorps and Houghton College.

Let's Go to the Library
A library-based education program for refugee students and their families. Community volunteers and refugee families come together on Saturday afternoons at the Niagara Branch Library to work on a number of different educational and recreational activities. Families are able to connect to positive role models in their community while practicing English and learning more about the educational resources that exist in their community. For more information please Send Email.

The Math Enrichment Spring Break Workshop
The workshop is held over the districts spring break vacation. Students in grades 3-12 are assessed and placed in groups according to their math abilities. Small group instruction is provided by program staff. The workshop serves up to 90 students.

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Career Services and Education

With support from Episcopal Migration Ministries and the Matching Grant program of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (Department of Health and Human Services), Journey’s End Refugee Services offers extended employment services to clients, ensuring they will successfully secure employment to support their families and become financially self-sufficient.

IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES

Immigration Services

Journey's End Immigration Legal Services is a program that offers complete legal representation at reduced fees to low income clients who need assistance with immigration matters. Our clients are refugees, asylees, parolees and immigrants from around the world who are in need of legal advice and cannot afford the services of a private law firm.

INTERPRETATION SERVICES

Advocacy

Interpretation is the oral (spoken) transmission of a message from one language to another. Journey's End Interpreters listen carefully, analyze the message, and accurately convey the true meaning.

Contact our Interpreting Department to learn more about scheduling high quality language services for your organization:
Sarah Cunningham, Director of Interpreting Services (716) 882-4963 x207 (office)
Lucie Desautels, Interpreting Assistant (716) 882-4963 x201 (office)

Journey's End Interpreting Department offers professional, high-quality service in languages needed to do business in a global society. These services are ideal for health and human organizations, educational institutions, government agencies and corporations.

Journey’s End offers services in over 20 languages: