In a shifting resettlement landscape, accurate information about available services has become increasingly important. However, many organizations have less capacity to identify and verify community resources, making it difficult to connect clients with the support they need. When you refer a client to a local service, an unexpected program closure or outdated eligibility information can delay access to services, often when they can least afford the setback. Switchboard’s Nationwide Community Resource Map addresses this gap by launching a verified, searchable, and multilingual directory of 11,000+ newcomer-serving resources across the United States. Learn how the map can streamline your referral work and help your clients navigate their communities with greater independence.
What is Resource Mapping?
In many U.S. communities, programs for refugees and newcomers have closed and longstanding referral networks have been disrupted. Maintaining accurate information about available services has become harder even as the need grows. Resource mapping is the process of identifying and cataloging information on local community resources, such as health clinics, food pantries, legal aid, housing, and job centers. Having up-to-date information organized in one place helps service providers and newcomers bridge the gap between needs and available community services.
Why Use Switchboard’s Nationwide Community Resource Map?
Switchboard’s Nationwide Community Resource Map organizes 11,000+ newcomer-serving resources in map and list view, and is continuously maintained through AI-assisted monitoring with human verification. Each listing includes a service description, contact information, a program website, and an address that allows for quick directions. Key features include:
- Ask AI: type what you need in plain language, using your preferred language (e.g., “food support near Dallas” or “Apoyo alimentario cerca de Dallas”) instead of navigating filters
- Or, if you prefer, browse by location and filter by service type
- Resource tiles display provider contact info, services, and directions all in one place
- Map is mobile-friendly and available in multiple languages
- If you get stuck, call our Community Support Line staffed by team members ready to help
You can use the resource map to support clients in many ways, such as:
- Finding supplemental food or health supports when Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Medicaid access changes
- Connecting clients with a resettlement provider after out-migrating
- Locating resources in rural areas and communities with limited provider networks
- Identifying housing supports when rental assistance programs close
- Enrolling clients in other services when Refugee Support Services (RSS) set-aside programs sunset
- Finding mental health supports when mainstream providers are unaffordable
- Locating alternatives when a referral partner stops accepting new clients
Case Scenario: Using the Resource Map to Strengthen Client Referrals
John is a caseworker supporting Nila, a single mother enrolled in Refugee Support Services (RSS). RSS is helping Nila with employment services, but she is facing several challenges that go beyond the program’s scope. Her SNAP benefits are ending; she is only working part time; ongoing back pain is affecting her daily life; and she feels increasingly isolated from her community.
John’s agency does not provide the Preferred Communities Intensive Case Management (PC-ICM) program, which may be better suited to address some of Nila’s needs. Using the resource map, John identifies local food assistance programs, health care services, PC-ICM providers, and community-based support programs. He reviews available resources and coordinates with partner organizations to connect Nila with services that can better meet her needs.
John also shares the resource map directly with Nila, who begins to independently explore resources in her community and connect with services that may help her and her family.
Where Did the Data Come From?
Switchboard’s Nationwide Community Resource Map builds on many mapping efforts. Switchboard partnered with Refugee Welcome Collective (RWC) on its State-by-State Resource Map, incorporating data from USAHello’s FindHello map. Switchboard also partnered with the Society of Refugee Healthcare Providers on their Provider Directory and with Karen Organization of San Diego on their Ethnic Community-based Organization (ECBO) Directory. Additional data includes the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC’s) localized mapped data from the nation’s top 30 resettlement cities as well as more than 2,000 FY26 grantees funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). This new resource map brings these initiatives together under one effort. Switchboard thanks all these partners, and more, for their support.
Explore and Share
We encourage you to explore the resource map and share it with clients so they can connect with local support and navigate their communities with greater independence. As providers begin using the map and sharing feedback via the website, it will become an even stronger resource for the resettlement field, supporting more consistent access to services across U.S. communities.
Find more services in less time. Try the map today!
Additional Resources
- Blog Post: Mapping Connections: Building Effective Resource Directories for Newcomer Communities
- Archived Webinar: Strengthening Refugee Services through Community Resource Mapping
- Archived 2025 Confluence Session: Solutions in Community Resource Mapping
- Blog Post: Building Community Partnerships Across the Resettlement Landscape: Tips for Getting Started
The IRC received competitive funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant #90RB0053. The project is 100% financed by federal funds. The contents of this document are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.
