By Cindy Adams
Immigration and Refugee Services is a vast system with multiple layers, but at its core, people are helping people, with a goal of welcoming newcomers to the community. Networking in this multifaceted arena is what equips enCircle’s I&RS team to be trusted guides for those immigrating to this country.
"We try to understand what the need is and then how to meet it," said Sindy Gamez, one of enCircle’s Safe Release specialists. While enCircle’s immigrant programs operate in several areas of Virginia, the largest concentration of services is in Richmond.
In working alongside other nonprofits helping immigrant communities, the I&RS team discovers options for transportation, food, work, health and benefits. To facilitate this community collaboration, Richmond's OIRE (Office of Immigrant and Refugee Engagement) hosts monthly gatherings for nonprofits serving the various immigrant groups. Here, the enCircle team finds information on housing, translators, mental health support and other services from others doing similar work.
"We go hoping to access resources for the people we serve," said Karina Ramirez, Lead Safe Release Specialist.
For example, a partnership with WayMakers Foundation helps prioritize a Latino family’s values, traditions and identity by providing familiar food from a culturally responsive food bank. Other culture-specific resources are poised to help Ukrainians, Afghans and others. The network also has provisions for pregnant women and new moms through a non-profit organization called Little Hands, a partnership overseen by Karina Vazquez, another enCircle Safe Release specialist. For those who have been victims of domestic violence, Latinos in Virginia Empowerment Center provides crisis intervention, therapy, interpretation services and job opportunities through a bilingual and bicultural lens. The connections are invaluable.
"It’s a two-way relationship," said Karina. "Recently, we volunteered with IRC (International Rescue Committee) to help with their food distribution needs by packing and delivering Ramadan boxes to their Muslim community."
EnCircle’s various programs — including Safe Release, CARE, Home Study/Post Release Services, and Transitional and Long Term Foster Care — all serve immigrants here in the U.S. and, therefore, share regional resources and donations. They are unified in their efforts. By connecting needs to services, they work toward making the world a more loving place.
