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…
Refine Search
Amidst rising rental prices, increasing application competition, and a dearth of affordable housing stock, the housing search is difficult. Preconceived notions newcomers may have about the U.S. housing market can further complicate the search for case managers or housing coordinators and the newcomers themselves. Below are a few of the most important facts about housing…
- Refugee Housing Solutions
After the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, more than 5,000 Afghan newcomers were welcomed to Houston, Texas. For Rupani Foundation, an ethnic community-based organization (ECBO) in Houston, the evacuation posed many challenges but also presented an opportunity to engage with the families we serve in a more meaningful way. This blog post shares some of…
- Rupani Foundation
It’s not easy to serve a community without a good support system. This can be especially true for leaders of ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs). The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) defines an ECBO as “a non-profit organization that was founded and is led by a current or former refugee, or a group of current and…
- Karen Organization of San Diego
Refugee and newcomer clients may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) depending on their age or health condition. However, applying for SSI is a long and complicated process. With contributions from Kara Friesen, Bayle Conrad, Dr. Andrea Green, and Dr. Meera Siddharth, this blog post answers some of the most common FAQs about SSI…
- Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers
In a previous post, we shared the Society of Refugee Healthcare Provider’s directory of healthcare providers who serve refugees and immigrants. In this post, we share more details about how organizations can create their own directory tailored for their location and clients’ needs. What is this directory used for? A health care provider directory is…
- Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers
Safe, sanitary, and affordable housing is a prerequisite for well-being. But securing housing of this standard is difficult—particularly for newcomers to the United States. Many of Refugee Housing Solutions’ resources highlight ways to secure housing and avoid homelessness. If you are a newcomer, or are working with a newcomer, who is homeless or at risk…
- Refugee Housing Solutions