LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICE INC
700 LIGHT STREET, BALTIMORE, MD 212303850 www.lirs.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: WITNESSING TO GOD'S LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE, WE STAND WITH AND ADVOCATE FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES THROUGH MINISTRIES OF SERVICE AND JUSTICE.

LIRS WORKS TO CREATE WELCOME FOR MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES. ADVOCATES FOR AND HELPS (CONT'D ON SCH O)

RESETTLEMENT: IN FY19, LIRS RESETTLED 5,053 REFUGEES, UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE MINORS AND SIVS (AFGHAN SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISAS WHO SERVED OVERSEAS ALONGSIDE THE US ARMED FORCES) FROM 41 COUNTRIES THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF LOCAL SOCIAL MINISTRY ORGANIZATIONS IN 51 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, PREPARING A PLACE OF WELCOME TO MEET THE PARTICULAR NEEDS OF THE REFUGEES AND ENGAGING LOCAL CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES TO ASSIST REFUGEES TO BECOME SELF-RELIANT MEMBERS OF THEIR NEW COMMUNITIES. THE TOP FIVE COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN OF RESETTLED REFUGEES IN FY19 WERE AFGHANISTAN, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, UKRAINE, MYANMAR AND BHUTAN. LIRS REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMMING INCLUDES:1. THE STATE DEPARTMENT FUNDED RECEPTION AND PLACEMENT PROGRAMMING-LIRSPROVIDES LIFE-SAVING PROTECTION AND STABILIZATION SUPPORT TO REFUGEES DURING THEIR FIRST 90 DAYS IN THE UNITED STATES.2. MATCHING GRANT-THIS LIRS EARLY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PUBLIC CASH ASSISTANCE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2019, 76.46% OF THE INDIVIDUALS ENROLLED IN MATCHING GRANT THROUGH LIRS WERE SELF-SUFFICIENT (EMPLOYED) ON OR BEFORE THE 180-DAY MARK. IN 2019, LIRS CONTINUED IMPLEMENTING THE FOLLOWING REFUGEE RELATED PROGRAMS AND INIATIVES:1.SWITCHBOARD - PROVIDED ECONOMIC AND CAREER RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) TO ALL NINE NATIONAL RESETTLEMENT NETWORKS2. NEW AMERICAN PATHWAYS (NAP) (FUNDED BY WALMART) - TARGETED CAREERUPSKILLING SUPPORT AND PLANNING FOR NEW AMERICANS.3. REFUGEE YOUTH CAREER PATHWAYS (RYCP) (FUNDED BY STARBUCKS, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS AND STARBUCKS FOUNDATION) - TARGETED CAREER UPSKILLING AND EDUCATION PREPARATORTY SUPPORT AND PLANNING TO 16-24 YEAR-OLD REFUGEE AND MIGRANT YOUTH.COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:1. CIRCLE OF WELCOME (COW) - FACILITATED VOLUNTEER CHURCH/COMMUNITY TEAMS WHO ARE MATCHED WITH REFUGEE HOUSEHOLDS TO PROVIDE STRUCTURED, ONGOING SUPPORT.2. VOLUNTEERISM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (TA) - SERVED AS IN-HOUSE VOLUNTEERISM AND MENTORSHIP TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS TO THE AFFILIATE NETWORK AND INTERNAL PROGRAM MANAGERS.VULNERABLE POPULATIONS:1. PREFERRED COMMUNITIES (PC) - PROVIDED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT TOTHE MOST VULNERABLE REFUGEES AND ASYLEES TO ENSURE ACCESS TO CRITICAL,LIFE STABILIZING SERVICES AND RESOURCES. THIS HELPED MOVE PARTICIPANTSTOWARD SELF-SUFFICIENCY.2. PROMOTED PRO-ACTIVE SCREENING AND ENHANCED REFERRAL NETWORKS -RHS-15 IS A MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING TOOL, AND THE LIRS DOMESTICVIOLENCE SCREENER; BOTH ARE INCORPORATED INTO PC PROGRAMMING ANDPROVIDED AN ACCESSIBLE TOOL TO STAFF TO IDENTIFY CLIENTS AT-RISK, ANDWORK WITH COMMUNITY PROVIDERS TO BUILD AND STRENGTHEN SERVICE ACCESSAPPROPRIATE FOR REFUGEES ACROSS CULTURES.TRANS-INTEGRATION ACTIVITIES CONTINUED:1. INTEGRATION FUND PROVIDED SEED MONEY FOR INNOVATIVE PILOT PROGRAMS IN THE INTEGRATION SPACE, TYPICALLY TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, ASSET BUILDING AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MENTORSHIP.2. INTEGRATION CONVERSATIONS SERVED AS A REGULAR FORUM FOR LIRS TO ENGAGE IN TARGETED DIALOGUE WITH NETWORKS OF THOUGHT LEADERS ON SPECIFIC INTEGRATION TOPICS (YOUTH CAREERS, ASSET BUILDING, MEASURING INTEGRATION, ELEVATING REFUGEE VOICES).

CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES: : LIRS PARTNERS WITH THE FEDERAL AGENCY THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, AND COMMUNITY CHILD WELFARE AND REFUGEE ORGANIZATIONS TO SERVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CHILDREN. LIRS PROVIDES A FULL SPECTRUM OF CHILD SERVICES, WITH A NETWORK OF 39 PARTNERS AND A TOTAL OF 51 SITES ACCROSS THE COUNTRY. IN 2019, LIRS PROVIDED HOMES FOR 4,276 CHILDREN, OF WHICH 2,591 WERE NEWLY ARRIVED UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CHILDREN. THIS INCLUDED SHORT AND LONG-TERM FOSTER CARE (BASIC AND THERAPEUTIC CARE) AND GROUP HOME CARE. FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, LIRS HAS PROVIDED CHILD WELFARE SERVICES TO REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CHILDREN WHO ARE UNACCOMPANIED OR FORCIBLY SEPARATED FROM FAMILY. THESE CHILDREN HAVE TYPICALLY FLED WAR, CIVIL CONFLICT, PERSECUTION, TRAFFICKING, EXTREME POVERTY, OR MALTREATMENT. LIRS APPROACHES ITS WORK WITH INTEGRITY AND UPHOLDS THE FOLLOWING PRINCIPLES IN SERVING CHILDREN: DECISION-MAKING BASED ON THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILD; PRESERVING FAMILY UNITY; PLACEMENTS OF CHILDREN IN THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE SETTING; PRIORITIZING CHILD PROTECTION; AND PROVIDING SERVICES WITH QUALITY AND INNOVATION

FAMILY REUNIFICATION: IN 2019 LIRS CONTINUED TO HELP REUNITE CHILDREN WITH PARENTS AFTER FAMILY SEPARATIONS OCCURRED. THE PROCESS INCLUDED HOME STUDIES, INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND REFERRALS TO AN ARRAY OF COMMUNITY-BASED PROVIDERS (I.E.-LEGAL SERVICES, EDUCATION, MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH). THE DETENTION VISITATION PROGRAM CONCLUDED ITS GRANT CYCLE ON MAY 31, 2020. DURING THIS YEAR, LIRS CONTRACTED WITH 11 ORGANIZATIONS LOCATED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES (AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, MD, MI, MN, NY, NJ, AND TX). THESE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS RECRUITED 379 NEW VISITATION VOLUNTEERS AND 646 PEN PAL VOLUNTEERS. THE LOCAL PROGRAM STAFF AND THE VISITATION VOLUNTEERS VISITED 1,505 DETAINEES LOCATED IN 17 DIFFERENT IMMIGRATION DETENTION CENTERS. MANY OF THE DETAINEES RECEIVED MORE THAN ONE VISIT; IN FACT, OVER 6,180 VISITATION SESSIONS TOOK PLACE DURING THE 2020 PROGRAM YEAR.

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