Samaritas

With support from Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS), Samaritas provides services for newly arriving refugees to help them put down roots in their first months in the United States. This includes assisting the US tie in 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 and financial assistance is provided for the family by the US tie and Samaritas until their Department of Human Services (DHS) benefits start. 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 Social Security cards and DHS (including cash, food and medical) assistance. Also, each member of the family receives the required immunizations and 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. For Free Cases, families with no US ties, Samaritas provides all the above mentioned services for the clients during the Resettlement period (90 days) and beyond if needed.

Refugees are fully authorized to work immediately. Samaritas works with refugees at all levels, from highly trained professionals to unskilled laborers. Services provided include: pre-screening for skills, evaluation of competencies, job readiness preparation, vocational skills training, on-the-job bilingual coaching and administrative support with employee documentation. All refugees are eager to work so that they can support their families and contribute to their new community. They are punctual and reliable, honest and trustworthy, highly productive and quick to learn. They are very appreciative of the opportunity to work, so they are dedicated to their employers and get along well with co-workers.

Samaritas also offers a federally funded Matching Grant program to resettled refugees, Special Immigration Visa holders, asylees, Cuban entrants and victims of torture. The Matching Grant program at Samaritas supports the clients with financial assistance, transportation services, employment, job search and referral to other services to facilitate self-sufficiency and retain employment. The program also provides job counseling, financial literacy, job placement assistance and follow up with employer and employed refugees.

Cherishing heritage, embracing a new culture
If you have worked with refugee students, you know that they face the same problems as all students – but in a more intense way. Most have been through traumatic experiences before arriving in the United States. They have had to leave family, friends and everything familiar to them. Now they have to learn a new language as well as American social conventions. 

Their anxieties may be expressed in truancy or unruly classroom behavior.
Samaritas has developed a Refugee School Impact Program to help refugee students in Oakland and Macomb counties and their parents adjust to the school environment. The program also provides resources and support to help teachers and administrators help the students. Services include English language instruction, translation services and referrals to tutoring services. 

Help for parents
Parent orientation sessions address parents’ concerns and show them how they can be involved in their children’s school experience. Topics include but are not limited to:

• understanding American culture
• structure of the American school system
• No Child Left Behind Act (2001)
• getting involved in the child’s education
• getting ready for school
• parent-teacher conferences
• domestic and school violence
• parent support groups

Help for teachers and administrators
Samaritas can provide training to help teachers and administrators understand the native culture of refugee students and the emotional impact of the refugee experience. We can also provide translation services and tips to improve communication with students and parents.

Help for children and teens
Youth orientation sessions provide students with the tools to be successful in the American school system. Topics include:

• cultural diversity and expectations in schools
• school rules and requirements
• social opportunities
• building positive peer relationships
• health and safety
• discovering your talents
• discovering yourself

Samaritas staff and volunteers can translate documents from the following languages into English: Arabic, Bosnian, Croatian, Romanian, Russian and Serbian. Documents can also be translated from English into any of these languages. 

Samaritas offers professional immigration legal services for refugees, asylees and immigrants at nominal fees to help them achieve independence and stability in the United States. These services include assistance with adjustment of status, naturalization, travel documents and family visa petitions. The program has an accredited representative on staff that is recognized by the Board of Immigration Appeals.