By the United Nations' and U.S. government's definition, a refugee is any person who is outside his/her country of nationality, and who is unable or unwilling to return to that country because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. These persons have been forced to flee their homeland, and through the United States refugee resettlement program, have found refuge in our country.
At this time, the majority of refugees in the Catholic Charities program are from Bhutan, Burma, Congo, South Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iraq, and Somalia.
Newly arrived refugees attend classes in English and workforce readiness at Catholic Charities (CC) in Memphis. For those who cannot attend classes, home tutoring is occasionally available. Classes are taught by professional ESL instructors and are powered by volunteers that assist teachers and students alike in a variety of different ways. All tutors working in the program are trained volunteers.
The R.I.S. Program has been in place for over 25 years. In that time, thousands of refugees have received the benefits of English classes. More importantly, these refugees have also benefited from the kind smiles and extra help that our volunteers bring to the program.
You can provide help and hope to newcomers by volunteering to provide transportation to necessary appointments, by becoming an ESL tutor (English as a Second Language), or by helping to assist the Refugee Resettlement staff in collecting donations and helping to set up and furnish apartments for newly arriving refugees. You can also help by making monetary and in-kind donations to the Nations Church Refugee Initiative.
**Current volunteer need: Family Mentor/ESL Tutors for Refugees: We're currently looking for volunteers who would like to assist Refugee families in their transition into life in Memphis. Family mentorship could include: cultural/community orientation, assistance in learning about household management/budgeting, and fun outings to places like the Memphis Zoo, etc. We are also looking for English as a Second Language tutors. No prior tutoring experience is necessary although it is most welcome.
Please email us if you're interested!