Dave Morris, a local leader with the YMCA, has joined the Idaho Office for Refugees as Resettlement Services Manager. In his new role, Morris will work closely with resettlement agency partners and support frontline work with refugees. Morris developed a passion for community service through a 23-year career in YMCA leadership, most recently as executive director of the Downtown Boise YMCA. He’s no stranger to the local refugee community. At the Y, Morris organized Welcoming Week events, connected refugee community members with opportunities to become members, and worked with refugee resettlement organizations to support youth programming. “In my work with our community’s refugee support agencies over the years, what I experienced again and again was a strong shared desire to improve the lives of others and make this world better for everyone,” Morris said. “I want to see Idaho as a welcoming place for everybody, and the Idaho Office for Refugees really does a lot to further that cause.”
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We are beyond grateful to KeyBank for their generous grant of $200,000. The funding will support refugee and immigrant farmers and business professionals in our Global Gardens and Global Talent programs.
For example, we'll now be able to expand our Global Gardens community garden and launch a business-focused English class for our Global Talent job seekers. "We're so excited to have support from KeyBank to really address needs that we've seen over the years," said Hannah Roche, manager of Global Talent. "For example, we will be creating a business English class for Global Talent participants that will increase their ability to thrive in the workplace.” "With this grant we will be developing the community garden, which is in Boise city limits and also in a low-income area," said Rabiou Manzo, who managed Global Gardens for the past three seasons. "That will provide fresh vegetables to people and produce less greenhouse gases. Farmers will learn techniques to increase yield and decrease food waste. We are hoping this will increase racial and financial equity for refugee farmers in Idaho." Read the full press release here, and check out the feature in the Idaho Press' Town Talk. Najib Amani worked with the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan for eight years in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While he was flying missions, his wife was serving a mission of her own. Najib’s wife is an educator with a special passion to educate Afghan girls and women. After the fall of Afghanistan in the 2021, Najib followed orders to evacuate his plane out of the country. The cost of that order was leaving his wife and their two children behind. Najib’s wife kept teaching, in person and on Zoom. Teaching is her life’s mission. Since 2021, the Taliban has restricted the rights of women and girls to attend school. In March of this year, the Taliban denied education for girls above 6th grade. In December of 2022, the Taliban extended that edict to women and girls attending public and private universities. Najib brought the Boise community together on Dec. 22 on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol to stand for his wife, daughter, and all women of Afghanistan. He is joining with Afghan and human rights advocates internationally to demand, “Let the Afghan girls go to school!” Najib said he does not think it is fair that his son should be able to receive an education while his daughter should stay home, the Idaho Statesman reported, and he will continue to voice his support for women in his home nation, even from afar. Hannah Roche and Zahraa Naser, members of the Global Talent team at IOR, take part in a rally supporting Afghan girls' education. Najib Amani, who organized the rally, is a client of Global Talent and is working to become certified as a pilot in the U.S. His wife, daughter and son remain in Afghanistan. Early Bird Registration is now open for the 2023 Idaho Conference on Refugees: Creating Connection. The two-day conference, February 22 & 23 at Boise State University, is geared toward professionals working with refugees in Idaho and toward community members with lived refugee and immigrant experience. Workshops are curated to present avenues of advocacy, increase community capacity, expand cultural awareness, and provide continuing education credits for eligible professions. Keynote, local artist performances and plenary sessions will be inspirational and visionary. Registration includes built-in networking opportunities and a full breakfast and lunch for both days with many vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options! A special Neighbors United Reception is planned for Wednesday, Feb. 22nd, 4:30-6:30 p.m.; all registrants are welcome. We are thrilled to welcome New York-based artist and illustrator Jane Chu as our keynote speaker. Jane has traveled the country to share the stories of refugees and immigrants in a unique way -- including Idaho's own Palina Louangketh. Jane is inspired by the journey her own mother took at a young age, leaving behind all she knew to find a life of safety and opportunity. Please join us for a time of connection, growth and learning. Scholarships are available, and fee waivers are offered for attendees from refugee backgrounds. SPONSORS & VOLUNTEERS If you or your company would like to come alongside us by sponsoring this event, volunteering, or hosting a table for your organization, we would love to hear from you!
The Idaho Conference on Refugees is presented by Boise State University and the Idaho Office for Refugees. Giving Tuesday raffle! Donate to the Idaho Office for Refugees this Giving Tuesday (Nov. 30) and be entered to win prizes from Food Land Market, Sunshine Spice Cafe, and Story Story Night. Click here to give and enter the raffle. We stand with Idahoans in calling out the dehumanizing statements of a former Boise police captain. Community members and leaders, elected officials, police officers, and many others have come together to show this is unacceptable. Our office has worked closely with Boise PD for many years, specifically through trainings and the refugee liaison officer role, to build relationships and deepen understanding. These efforts are making an important difference, and the connections are growing across local law enforcement departments. Idahoans for decades have come together to make sure new neighbors in the refugee resettlement program have a place to belong and feel safe again. And that’s what we continue to build upon as a community. We work closely with the refugee liaison officer at the Boise Police Department and welcome any feedback and concerns. Please reach us at iorinfo@idahorefugees.org. Please join us in welcoming Beth Norton to our team! Beth started today in the role of Events & Partnerships Coordinator, where she will lead events including the Idaho Conference on Refugees and World Refugee Day (Boise) and will be a connector with our community partners.
Beth is a well-known local comedian and storyteller whose projects include Idaho's Best Comedian Competition and Story Story Night's Late Night season. She has a master's in Public Administration from Boise State University, served two terms as a staff member in the Idaho Legislature, and was an Idaho Voices for Children board member for three years, working toward improvements to the foster care system. Welcome, Beth, we are fortunate to have you on the team! One of our favorite things about the Idaho Conference on Refugees is the workshops! Workshops allow for meaningful conversations and important trainings that bring us together and improve the work we do to build community. Our next conference is coming up on Feb. 22 & 23 in Boise, and we are now accepting proposals from those who would like to lead a workshop. Please learn more and apply here. The Operations Coordinator will ensure that our work at the Idaho Office for Refugees reaches its fullest potential, both within our office and in the communities we serve. You will help us streamline our operations, set and track goals, create a bigger picture view of activities, and improve the efficiency of how we do things.
Your organization, precision, and attention to detail will enable us to have a greater statewide impact, a focus on outcomes, and stronger connection with our grantees and partners as we carry on the legacy of refugee resettlement in Idaho.
We're excited to introduce you to Whitney Alsallum, our new Donor & Volunteer Relations Coordinator. Whitney will be your go-to for questions on how to get involved and come alongside our work! Whitney has been involved in the nonprofit space for over a decade, focusing on community engagement. She has a passion for refugee resettlement and encouraging inclusivity in and around Boise, her hometown. She graduated from Boise State University with a bachelor's in communication and a minor in Arabic. Creating friendships with people from other cultures brings her joy, and she has been involved with Glocal, International Student programs, and local tutoring services to build those connections. Her last project was expanding a program called Serve the City, which managed relationships with nonprofits and connected people for a day of volunteering around the city every month. Outside of work, Whitney enjoys spending time with her husband and their two sons, ages 6 and 1, and practicing Arabic. Welcome, Whitney! Reach her at walsallum@idahorefugees.org. |
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April 2024
Author: Holly BeechIdaho Office for Refugees Communications Manager Thank you to the generous organizations who
support our outreach: |