Switchboard Blog
Switchboard’s blog posts offer a wide range of insights on the newcomer experience, including practical tips for navigating the resettlement process, resource lists tailored to community needs, case studies about relevant programs, engaging stories of successful integration, and more.
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Find Food Resources for Newcomers in Your City, in Your State, and at the Federal Level
Across the United States, food insecurity is rising, and many low-income families, including refugees, asylees, and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, are finding it harder to keep nutritious food on the table. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2023, nearly 47 million people, including 7.2 million children, lived in households that…
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Newcomer women possess valuable skills to contribute to the workforce. Service providers have the unique opportunity to leverage these capabilities and empower newcomer women to actively engage in the workplace. This blog post addresses employment barriers that women face and explores strategies for supporting newcomer women in their career development.  Understanding the Participation Gap  Recent data from…
- Switchboard
This blog post, produced by Switchboard with assistance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), describes how service providers can help clients prevent and report fraud, identifies common scams that often affect refugees and newcomers, and shares resources to build newcomers’ financial literacy. This blog post accompanies Switchboard’s information guide Reporting Scams and Fraud to…
- Switchboard
During the holy month of Ramadan, many Muslims fast—that is, refrain from eating or drinking—from sunrise until sundown. This year, Ramadan occurs from March 11 to April 10, 2024.  But many newly arrived Muslims are still learning to navigate the food resources available to them, and some are living in temporary accommodation with limited cooking appliances,…
- Switchboard
A refugee’s resettlement journey involves not only acclimating to a new environment, but also learning the intricacies of a new financial system often vastly different from that of their home country. Navigating personal finance is thus a challenging task for many newcomers. Gaining a thorough understanding of the U.S. financial system empowers newcomers with the…
- Switchboard
Many parts of the U.S. are currently experiencing winter conditions including snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. Newcomers may not be familiar with cold weather environments or proper safety methods. This post details resources and considerations for vehicle and transportation safety in winter that service providers can share with clients. This is part two of…
- Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers
Many parts of the U.S. are currently experiencing winter conditions including snow, ice, and extremely cold temperatures. Service providers should ensure that newcomer clients understand the necessary steps to prepare for extreme winter weather and have adequate resources for coping with winter storms and hazards. Many clients have never experienced cold winter environments and may…
- Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers