Our exciting news and the latest on the U.S. Refugee Program

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August 15, 2019
Rinconcito del Sol: A Safe and Welcoming Place for Children

USCRI is proud to announce the opening of Rinconcito del Sol ("a little corner of sunshine"), our state-licensed shelter in Florida for unaccompanied girls ages 13 to 17. The shelter is welcoming and comfortable, with cozy bedrooms, fluffy rugs, colorful bedding and art, and most importantly, an experienced team of caring, professional staff members. We care for girls coming to the U.S. alone, or who have been separated from their loved ones, until we are able to reunite them with family.

Most girls stay at Rinconcito del Sol for a month or less. While they are there, they attend classes, play, read, and get the medical, mental health, and legal assistance they need. This is not a detention center. This is a place where the girls can recover, get stronger, and become more prepared for the journey that lies ahead of them. Learn more. ([link removed])

Recent press coverage of Rinconcito del Sol can be seen here ([link removed]) and here ([link removed]) .
From Refugee to Role Model

Imagine spending the first 10 years of your life in a refugee camp, not learning how to read or write, with no memory of your original homeland. Musa Kanneh may have started life that way, but in 2005 his family was resettled in Albany by USCRI, where he started school in the U.S. as a "very scared" 5th grader, focused on making friends and fitting in.

Fourteen years later, Musa was asked to return to his former middle school as the graduation speaker. "My family came to this country with love and friendship and hope and not much else. Every day was a challenge," he says, noting that having a close friend and staying positive helped him make it through the difficult times. Today, Musa is working for an architecture firm and finishing his exams to become a fully licensed architect. Read more of Musa's story ([link removed]) in the Albany Times Union.
Photo: Musa Kanneh. Courtesy of Mallory Moench/Times Union
Eliminating the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program - Thanks for Your Activism

Thank you to everyone who has spoken out against the Trump Administration's proposal to admit NO refugees in 2020, effectively eliminating the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. Outrage continues around the country and in Congress. Last week, a bipartisan group of Senators authored a letter expressing alarm and encouraging the Administration to increase the refugee resettlement cap. Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and Chris Coons (D-DE) led the letter with Senators John Thune (R-SD), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Thomas R. Carper (D-DE), Rob Portman (R-OH), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Ed Markey (D-MA). Read the letter. ([link removed])

Members of the bipartisan House Refugee Caucus have also authored a letter, signed by 32 Democrats and 3 Republicans, expressing opposition to the Administration cutting the number of refugee admissions. Read the letter. ([link removed])
"Once People Learn That Refugees Need Help, They Are Eager to Jump In"

Nate Heinrich, a volunteer and donor in Des Moines recently spoke to us about how he got involved:

[link removed] have a lot of empathy for refugees who come to the U.S. not speaking the language or understanding the culture, and with hardly any possessions. My wife Sarah and I first got involved with USCRI through the Family/Mentor program. We were assigned a refugee family from Eritrea in 2015 and we’ve gotten to know them well. Of all the things we do with our kids, we’re happiest when we’re spending time with this family, who have become dear friends.

This year, we got involved in a different way. We sent out text messages to 20 friends asking for gently used furniture and household items and in just a week we collected enough to furnish three apartments! Once people learn that refugees need help, they are eager to jump in. We just need to spread the word. Read more. ([link removed])

You can help too. Donate items ([link removed]) and help welcome refugees and immigrants to the U.S.
As a nonprofit organization, USCRI relies on the generosity of people like you.
Your cash donation will help bring dignity and opportunity to immigrants and refugees.
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Questions? Comments? Contact us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or (703) 310-1130.

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