In only an hour or two per week, you could help a newly arrived family adjust to life in Oregon and increase their chances of thriving.
Catholic Charities of Oregon resettles refugees from many countries and of any belief system. What all the refugees have in common is the need for a local person to help them integrate into society.
Catholic Charities is seeking volunteers to become cultural navigators.
Refugees have escaped peril in their homelands. Here, they need to know local customs such as how to ride the bus, how to bank, where to shop, how to get kids to school and how to get to the doctor. Families may need car transport for a time.
After about six months, most refugee families are ready to move forward on their own.
In special demand are volunteers who speak Spanish, Arabic, French or other languages common in Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe. Americans who have lived abroad also would be excellent candidates.
Also in need are people familiar with LGTBQ culture.
A brief training and a background check are required at no expense to the volunteer.
Catholic Charities will reimburse cultural navigators for mileage put on their cars for serving refugees.
If you are interested, contact Jen Toohey, Catholic Charities’ volunteer services coordinator, at jtoohey@ccoregon.org or Peter Vins, refugee services volunteer coordinator, at pvins@ccoregon.org.
A Catholic Charities volunteer meets with a newly arrived refugee at Portland International Airport. Catholic Charities needs more volunteers to serve as cultural navigators for refugees.