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REFUGEES WELCOME HOME AUCTION Agency for New Americans, a resettlement agency in Boise, is holding its annual fundraising auction this week! All proceeds will support the agencies resettlement efforts. Click here to check out the virtual auction and find great items up for bid. MOBILE VACCINE CLINICS We're supporting mobile vaccine clinics this Thursday and Saturday in Boise neighborhoods! The clinics are open to anyone 12 and older who needs a first or second dose. Find details below in English, Nepali, Arabic and Swahili.  REFUGEE RESTAURANT WEEK Each year in October we highlight the amazing restaurants and markets in the Treasure Valley run by chefs and business owners who arrived here through the refugee program. Join us Oct. 18-24 in discovering new favorite dishes! Find details here. Najlaa with The STIL in Boise (pictured on the left) will continue a favorite tradition of offering two delicious Syrian ice cream flavors throughout the week. We're grateful to the Boise Weekly for this great Q&A with Najlaa and to The STIL in downtown Boise for their continued partnership. CITIZENSHIP COURSE The English Language Center is launching another free, six-week citizenship exam prep course on Nov. 1. The class runs every Monday, Tuesday and Friday morning through Dec. 10. Find details below in English, Swahili, Spanish and Kinyarwanda. Our heartfelt congratulations to graduates of the previous courses who have gone on to pass your citizenship exam! GLOBAL TALENT Global Talent, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, provides a newsletter every other week with career guidance tailored to new Americans and a list of current job openings in Southwest Idaho. Check out the latest edition here.
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 One of our favorite times of year is almost here: Refugee Restaurant Week! Celebrate with us Oct. 18-24 and discover new dishes, markets and restaurants in the Treasure Valley to enjoy all year long. This year we're excited to highlight Guest Chef Najlaa, who will have two Syrian ice cream flavors at The STIL in Downtown Boise. We've also put together a map of local refugee-owned markets and restaurants to serve as a guide for dine-in or take-out options. Learn more at refugeerestaurantweek.org. We hope you enjoy getting to know new places and trying new things in the Treasure Valley. Thank you to every chef and business owner who enriches our community with your talents and flavors from around the world. We're using a revised format this year to make sure the event is COVID-friendly. Normally, four local restaurants would house guest chefs from refugee backgrounds who would serve up dishes from their home countries. It's a great way to discover new favorites, so stay tuned next year! Know of a place we should add to the map? Email Holly at hbeech@idahorefugees.org.  Many Idahoans moved by compassion by what's happening in Afghanistan have reached out seeking ways to help. We are deeply grateful! Here are some ideas on how you can be involved in refugee resettlement in Idaho. (Those seeking resources for evacuating and relocating can find details here.) 1. VOLUNTEER If you would like to volunteer, be a mentor, rent out housing or provide transportation to refugees, we invite you to fill out our Volunteer Form so we know how to reach you and how you would like to be involved. Your answers will only be seen by the Idaho Office for Refugees and our partners at the three resettlement agencies in Idaho. 2. DONATE & SUPPORT Idaho's three resettlement agencies are:
The Idaho Office for Refugees partners with these agencies and administers refugee assistance and services statewide, including English classes and cultural orientation, farming assistance, peer support and career mentorship.
Beyond donations, expressing your compassion and support for welcoming people who are fleeing violence does make a difference on social media and in your circles. 3. ATTEND AN EVENT Make new friends and learn from other cultural perspectives at one of the many community events hosted by former refugees and/or the resettlement community. From virtual cooking classes to dance performances to evenings of storytelling, there are so many fun ways to get connected. Follow along with our Community Calendar and keep in touch by subscribing to our newsletter.  Veteran Robert Holmes of Kuna served in Afghanistan during his 24-year career in the Marine Corps. UPDATE: You can watch a recording of the webinar here. Over the past few weeks, Idahoans have shown support and compassion for our allies and other vulnerable people, including children, from Afghanistan.
To connect our community and provide updates, Idaho’s resettlement agencies and partners will host a virtual panel detailing our state's role in this situation and giving people a chance to hear from Idahoans who have been directly impacted.  The work of artist Luma Jasim, who came to Idaho through refugee resettlement, is on display at Boise State University through Oct. 3. Find features on Luma in the Idaho Statesman and the Boise Weekly. Catch Luma's performance at Treefort:
Luma, born in Iraq, has lived through three wars, an economic blockade and the U.S. invasion of Iraq. She relocated to Istanbul in 2006 and to Boise two years later. She earned an art degree from Boise State University in 2013 and now displays her work internationally. Luma's exhibit, Long Term Vision, explores the continuous scenario of refugees in places of conflict where higher powers play a role in keeping the conflict going.  Picture by Sami Edge, Idaho Education News Last week, Idaho Education News reporter Sami Edge spent some time with REACH program students and organizers during a field trip to the Boise Library's Collister branch and a back-to-school Q&A. Find Sami's great photos and story here. The REACH program (Refugees Empowered to Achieve) is supported by a collaborative of local partners to provide youth mentorship and tutoring. Kids in the REACH summer program this week got an opportunity to canoe and paddleboard, set up tents and interact with nature at Esther Simplot Park in Boise. We had the joy of partnering with Ellis Nanney, executive director of Grow Outdoor Access. Ellis provided the outdoor gear and expertise. For some of the kids in the REACH program (Refugees Empowered to Achieve), it was their first time setting up a tent or riding a paddleboard.
The U.S. State Department is calling for the intimidation and attacks in Ethiopia's Tigray region to stop, Reuters reports.
"We are deeply concerned about credible reports of attacks by military forces affiliated with the Tigray People's Liberation Front and the Tigrayan militias against Eritrean refugees in the Tigray region," State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters. 
Reshma Kamal, center, celebrating Eid with friends. Reshma is the humanitarian and outreach director with the Islamic Center of Boise.
Reshma Kamal is planning out which dishes she'll have ready on July 20. There’s biryani, a rice dish. It’s her mom’s recipe — “and it’s spicy,” she said. There is korma, a meat and gravy dish. Don’t forget the naan, beef and chicken kabobs, and sweet dishes.
“It’s a festival,” Reshma said. “People are coming to your home, and they want variety.” Eid al-Adha, one of the two main holidays celebrated by Muslims, starts on Tuesday, July 20, this year. Because only 1% of Idahoans are Muslim (an estimated 18,300 residents), the broader population, including many employers, might not realize the significance of this holiday. 
Please join us in welcoming Jose Martinez as the new project manager for Global Talent. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, Jose has an extensive international business background and first-hand experience navigating Idaho’s job market.
Global Talent, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees, helps college-educated new Americans reclaim their professional careers in Idaho. Through the program, job seekers have access to personalized training and career coaching, and Idaho employers are connected to a larger pool of skilled workers. |
Author: Holly BeechHolly is the communication specialist for the Idaho Office for Refugees. Contact her at hbeech@idahorefugees.org. Get Involved
If you would like to be part of our efforts to create belonging and a foundation for success for refugees in Idaho, click here to learn how you can help. Archives
October 2021
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Idaho Office for refugees1607 W. Jefferson St.
Boise, ID 83702 208.336.4222 |
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