Church of the Ascension Refugee Co-Sponsorship
Grant Amount Needed: $2,875
By supporting this project, you will be helping Church of the Ascension love on and support refugees and asylum seekers in Pittsburgh.Project Overview
Church of the Ascension purposes to develop a robust ministry among refugees and low-income immigrants in the greater Pittsburgh region. Ascension already hosts a robust international ministry whose primary means of engagement is ESL classes and county-wide field trips. There are currently 30+ adult volunteers within this ministry and 150+students from 30+ countries. It is against this broader background that a refugee ministry will be partly levereged.
The Refugee Resettlement Co-Sponsorship team would work in partnership with one of Pittsburgh’s federally sponsored resettlement agencies, likely Hello Neighbor or Bethany Christian Services, and would be responsible for the practicalities of resettling families assigned to the church. Specifically, the church would work to find appropriate accommodation and/or assist with fully outfitting a house or apartment; connect arriving families to public benefits and services; arrange initial healthcare appointments and connect families to pharmacies and needed providers; help families with education and literacy needs, registering for schools and ESL classes; and provide families with community orientation.
The goal would be for each family to become self-sufficient, arranging their own transportation as needed (usually by bus) and living within a budget on employment income and any ongoing public benefit assistance. The church initially hopes to serve 2 families in 2023, and as they build traction, would like to achieve a regular annual rhythm of assisting 2 - 3 families.
Project Impact
Refugees and asylum seekers are among the most vulnerable in our society. They typically do not know English and come to the United States without family and cultural supports. They often leave war-torn countries and arrive with significant emotional trauma. They have lingered in ‘holding camps’ in other countries until their asylum claims have been adjudicated. Children within these families are often absent from formal educational institutions for years. And, while there is tremendous hope in coming to the United States, emotional crises and breakdown frequently occur once refugees have arrived at their destination and ‘let down their guard'. Some refugees adjust more quickly because there are established ethnic communities within particular cities, while others are more isolated.