WHAT WE DO
"We should not think of refugees as sad stories from far places. We accept refugees to aid those in need and also for them to stand as a constant reminder."
HOME MENTORING PROGRAM
The Refugee Response Home Mentoring Program provides one-on-one mentorship to over fifty refugee students in Cleveland, Ohio. Recently arrived refugee families are enrolled each year and all eligible school aged children within the family are placed with a mentor to provide meaningful academic and acculturation support two hours a week over the course of two academic years. Our mentors come from a range of backgrounds and receive training and personalized resource support from Refugee Response staff, as well as benefit from a support network of other mentors working within the family. Mentors work closely with students to students strengthen literacy and math skills, provide opportunities to explore community and culture, while developing a meaningful connection with a trustworthy and caring adult. Mentors help bridge the divides of culture, communication, access, and understanding for our refugee students, their parents, schools, and the broader community.
REFUGEE EMPOWERMENT AGRICULTURAL PROGRAM
The Refugee Empowerment Agricultural Program (REAP), an initiative of the Refugee Response, operates at the Ohio City Farm, the largest contiguous urban farm in the nation. Located on Cleveland's west side, directly adjacent to the historic West Side Market, the Ohio City Farm nourishes the community with local food and empowers resettled refugee trainees in Northeast Ohio providing them with employment, education, and training. REAP currently employs fifteen refugee trainees from six countries. Ultimately, REAP will provide trainees with an employable skill set which will in turn stimulate the region's economic development.
ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Refugee Response provides academically motivated and talented refugee students the opportunity for private education in select regional schools including Urban Community School, St. Ignatius and St. Joseph Academy. Scholarship Program participants are also required to be enrolled in the Home Mentoring Program which provides measurement standards to assess the student’s growth, emerging needs and overall academic achievement over time.