View online [[link removed]]

[[link removed]]


SUPPORT IMMIGRANT FAMILIES AT THIS CRITICAL TIME



Dear friends,

Many people are experiencing anxiety about how the current health crisis will affect them in the coming months. Immigrant families, and the wider community that we serve are some of the most vulnerable to the direct effects of COVID-19, as well as the effects of loss of work and social distancing that will follow as this pandemic continues.

We ask, if you are able, to please donate [[link removed]], to support our work providing families with the legal, counseling, and education services they need, as this is more important than ever. This emergencywill become increasingly more stressful over the coming weeks and potentially months ahead for our community and as often is the case, we are their only support. Immigrant families are among the most vulnerable in the current crisis, earlier this week the New York Times [[link removed]]reported that immigrants are "petrified to seek medical care for the coronavirus."

These are challenging times for all of us.Your generosity can help alleviate the hardship faced by many of the families we serve. This is a path we haven’t been on, one that we will walk together, and will create the way forward, together.

Stay well,




[[link removed]]
Ronnie Millar
Executive Director



DONATE [[link removed]]


RIAN CONTINUES SUPPORT SERVICES

In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Rian Immigrant Center is working remotely to support our families at this time. We are providing telephone and remote support until further notice. We will continually monitor the public health situation, and will make further announcements as appropriate. Our staff will continue supporting immigrant families as best we can under the circumstances. To read our full update on our programs, click here [[link removed]].

We extend our sympathy to all who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, and our good wishes to all who are in treatment.

Important and Helpful Links
* The Boston Foundation: COVID 19 Resources [[link removed]]

* A Listening Care Package for Uncertain Times, On Being [[link removed]]

* State Health Connector re-opens insurance enrollment in face of coronavirus threat [[link removed]]

* Boston COVID-19 Community Care [[link removed]]

* Irish Government Recommends Irish Citizens return home now [[link removed]]



Recent Immigration Policy Changes
* AILA New England Update [[link removed]]





TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING




Cherry blossoms in blue sky [[link removed]]


Today marks the first day of Spring, and despite these trying times, we are continuing to see beauty in our lives, community, and in nature. Consider sharing a photo of something beautiful in your home or surrounding area (on socially distant walks) with your friends and family today to celebrate the small bright spots in these uncertain times.



RIAN ENCOURAGES YOU TO FILL OUT THE 2020 CENSUS!




[[link removed]]


The Rian Immigrant Center encourages everyone to take the 2020 Census.The Census is an opportunity to ensure that every person residing in the US is counted, helping your community receive the representation and support it deserves. The Census results also “determine how many representatives each state will have in Congress.” By filling out the Census you are making sure enough resources are committed to your State, City, and community and that you are represented fairly in our democracy. You will receive information about the Census in the mail. Then the Census will be available to fill out online [[link removed]],by phone [[link removed]], by mail [[link removed]],or in person [[link removed]]. Online and by phone the Census can be filled out in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Japanese. There are 59 other languages which you can receive support in as well.

While we know there has been fear surrounding this census, the Census Bureau is bound by law to protect your information. Please learn more about the 2020 Census on this flier [[link removed]].



IRISH TAOISEACH'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY ADDRESS




Ministerial Broadcast by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about the Covid-19 pandemic [[link removed]] [[link removed]]


Irish Prime Minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar discussed St. Patrick's Day in his address and the new world we are living in with COVID-19. We encourage you to watch his important address. He shared beautifully: "We are asking people to come together by staying apart."



URGENT UPDATE: LEARNING EXCHANGE PROGRAM
(J-1 INTERNS)



Our International Learning Exchange Program shared a few updates for the Irish Exchange Visitors we work with this past week. The Irish Government is recommending all Irish citizens who are intending to return to Ireland to do so now. Please read more here [[link removed]]. We also informed the Exchange Visitors about the possibility that they will not be able to return to the US, restrictions around working from home, and the precautions to take in case there are 'shelter-in-place' orders in the coming days or weeks.

The Rian Immigrant Center has suspended our J-1 Exchange Visitor program for new applications until May 2020.If you are a J-1 Exchange Visitor and we are your sponsor organization, please reach out to use with any visa issues. If you are a J-1 Exchange Visitor with a different sponsor organization, please reach out to your sponsor organization with any visa issues. Our team is available to support J-1 Exchange Visitors though with answers to questions and additional support. You can reach us at [email protected].

We are continuing to monitor the situation every day and remain in constant contact with the Exchange Visitors we support. We are always accessible to them and continue to prioritize each of their unique needs in this unprecedented time.



RIAN'S WELLNESS TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS




[[link removed]]


We all have different ways of dealing with the daily information of an infectious disease outbreak. It is especially important during these times to take good care of ourselves, including talking with children about what is going on and what they may hear.

Our Wellness Services team is available during regular business hours for support by calling 617-542-7654. People should continue to seek their regular mental health support services and reach out to their providers, if they need more support. The Samaritans Hotline is available 24/7 via phone call or text at 1-877-870-4673 for additional and/or mental health crisis support. Here are tips from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on how to take care of yourself during these times.
* Avoid excessive exposure to media coverage of COVID-19.

* Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep and avoid alcohol and drugs.

* Make time to unwind and remind yourself that strong feelings will fade. Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. Try to do some other activities you enjoy to return to your normal life.

* Connect with others. Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships.

* Maintain a sense of hope and positive thinking.


Information on preparing [[link removed]]a [[link removed]]nd preventing spread. [[link removed]]

OUR NEW NAME & 2019 YEAR IN REVIEW



It is with a commitment to inclusion, justice, and hope for the next 30 years that we have just recently changed our name to
THE RIAN IMMIGRANT CENTER [[link removed]].


Rian (pronounced REE-ann) comes from the Irish word for a pathway through obstacles, a pathway forged when it seems there is no way forward.




2019 Year in Review [[link removed]]


New Name Video [[link removed]]


Our new name honors our Irish roots while reflecting the inclusive mission of our work serving diverse populations in Massachusetts. Our new logo is inspired by the Giant’s Causeway on the north coast of Ireland. The natural hexagonal stones formed 60 million years ago by cooling lava created a pathway, and symbolizes the path to charting a way forward.




[[link removed]]


We are enormously grateful to the Irish Ambassador Dan Mulhall for helping us launch our new name, to Arbella Insurance Foundation and BCW Global for hosting our launch breakfast on February 26, 2020, and to Creative Agency MAMUS [[link removed]]and Greenough Brand Storytellers [[link removed]]for their creative support. View more photos from the event here [[link removed]].







[[link removed]]


Stay well and let’s support each other.

The Rian Immigrant Center Team





[[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]] [[link removed]]

[[link removed]] [[link removed]]
1 State Street, Boston, MA 02109, United States

You may unsubscribe [[link removed]] or change your contact details [[link removed]] at any time.