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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Switchboard’s Annual Survey of Refugee Service Providers (ASRSP): Early Insights and Next Steps
The U.S. refugee resettlement system is evolving rapidly. Shifting policies and new technologies are reshaping how services are delivered, often in ways that directly impact both refugees and the service providers who support them. Yet despite their central role, the voices of service providers are rarely captured systematically. Without their perspective, policymakers and program leaders…
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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
This August marks the two-year anniversary of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. During this two-year period, the United States has welcomed over 90,000 Afghan evacuees through Operation Allies Welcome. Since 2021, resettlement agencies, state agencies, and community-based organizations have worked tirelessly to support Afghan newcomers’ integration into local communities. As the process of…
- Switchboard
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