Partnerships
RISSE is a family-focused development center offering resources and education for recent immigrants, refugees, and their families resettling in Albany, New York.
RISSE is committed to providing help wherever it is needed. Their program offers:
- A hot meal for anyone who needs it, so no one has to wonder if they’ll get to eat today.
- ESL (English as a Second Language) training to prepare new immigrants for success in school or the workforce so they can build their new lives on a strong foundation.
- Access to working computers and other tools necessary to achieve financial independence.
- Counselors and a myriad of other viable services to help newly settled families thrive.
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The after-school program at RISSE, in downtown Albany, serves over 100 kids. Working to help newly settled children acclimate to their new lives in America and give them the foundation for a lifetime of success.
Charity in Action has been able to support their mission with grants of over $7000 over the past several years.
We’ve also been lucky enough to team up with Delta Mu, a local high school service club, to deliver:
- Computers to support their administrative work and educational programs.
- 40 soccer balls and related accessories to some very happy and deserving kids.
- Tons of coats and blankets to weather the cold Albany winters.
- And much more!
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The African Family Health Organization
AFAHO is Philadelphia-based organization that serves the specific needs of African and Caribbean immigrants and refugees through cultural, linguistic, and educational support and a focus on improving healthcare outcomes for their community.
AFAHO works to promote social integration, independence and self-sufficiency by offering their community access to:
- Healthcare programs and education to help newly settled families understand the complexities of the American healthcare system so they can get the care they need.
- Mental Health resources geared toward helping children and caregivers navigate the challenges that come with resettlement.
- Childcare co-op that allows immigrant and refugee families to focus on rebuilding their lives without worry about the safety of their children.
- Adult literacy programs, Life skills training, English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, and much more. AFAHO helps immigrants and refugees gain all the tools they need to thrive.
Being local to our home base, AFAHO has helped Charity in Action to identify several other recently resettled families that needed help in our own backyard.
There isn’t much support on a governmental level for incoming refugees after their first six months. Many of them are left to “figure it out” all on their own. With language barriers, cultural differences, and the complexity of our housing, education, and healthcare systems, this is not a recipe for success.
With help from AFAHO, we were able to connect with families settled between 2016-2019 in the greater Northeast and offer them the kind of support and general guidance navigating the “US system” necessary to truly succeed.