NEWS AND UPDATES FEBRUARY 2021
Opening Doors awarded $60K for emergency assistance to households weathering financial hardship due to COVID-19 in 2021
Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA) awarded Opening Doors $60,000 in supplemental ‘safety-net’ funding to stabilize 130 newcomer households who face financial hardship directly created or heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For newcomers, much like other vulnerable groups, COVID-19 has become an economic crisis in addition to a public health crisis. Several factors, including high rates of immigrant employment in sectors vulnerable to COVID-19 related closures and/or at high risk of exposure, have rendered immigrant families among the region’s most susceptible to problems created or aggravated by COVID-19.
 
This grant will support [read more...]
We Are Home: An advocacy campaign calls upon the Biden Administration and Congress to transform America's immigration system
The We Are Home campaign is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-generational coalition calling on the Biden administration and Congress to enact legislation that creates a roadmap to citizenship for all immigrants.

We Are Home ​is led by more than fifty partner organizations and ​represents millions of people across the country.

We Are Home​ has three major policy goals: [read more...]
Increase refugee admissions: take action on social media!
This week the Biden administration is expected to take executive action to begin rebuilding the refugee resettlement program and increase refugee admissions.

Your help can make sure that executive action increases the 2021 refugee admissions goal, initiates an interagency audit of refugee processing, and rescinds previous refugee bans. 

Take action on social media!
Church World Service has drafted sample social media messages to urge the Biden administration to immediately restore U.S. moral leadership in refugee protection and resettlement.

Click button below to view and share a message with the administration.
Make sure to tag @POTUS, @WhiteHouse, @VP, and @jakejsullivan (National Security Advisor) in your tweets.
Church World Service's webinar series on Community Sponsorships continues
The incoming administration has indicated that the number of refugee arrivals to the US will most likely return to historic norms; community sponsorships are an integral part of
supporting the successful integration of refugee families in their new home country.

What is community sponsorship?
A community sponsorship is when a community group works together to welcome refugees by assisting in the process of resettlement and integration. These groups may be called co-sponsors, welcome teams or other names.

Considering a Community Sponsorship with Opening Doors?
Volunteering with refugee resettlement agencies like Opening Doors requires thoughtful engagement. This 6-week webinar series is designed to give an overview of the resettlement process and lay the groundwork for anyone interested in learning more about the role community plays in the work of welcome for refugees arriving to Sacramento in 2021.

Read on to learn more about what will be covered in each session and to register:
Welcoming During a Pandemic
Amidst the unknowns of this past year, local communities remained committed to welcoming newcomers. As life moved, largely, from in-person to virtual engagements, how did community sponsorship and support of newly arrived refugees change? Join community sponsors and local resettlement agency staff to explore how they have welcomed during the Covid-19 pandemic.


Reflections on Resettlement
Hear from a panel of community sponsors, refugees, and resettlement staff as they share best practices and tips based on their experience. What do they wish prospective volunteers/community sponsors knew before they welcome newcomers?


Creative Welcoming Initiatives
Join this session to be inspired by the creative ways community members across the United States are providing welcome support to refugees. This session is meant to inspire, encourage, and generate new ideas as we work together to assist refugees in their integration into our communities. 


To learn more about community sponsorships:
Please visit Church World Service's Community Sponsorship webpage or contact Opening Doors Community Engagement Manager, Julie Beckner.

About Church World Service (CWS):
Opening Doors works is an affiliate of Church World Service (CWS) to support refugees as they progress through their integration process: from their initial welcome to the Unites States, to self-reliance and ultimately to thriving.
Social Media Spotlight:
Local group donates handmade art to Opening Doors in recognition of January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month

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Opening Doors is committed to increasing opportunities to inform and engage the community by focusing on who we are, what we do, and why we do it. 

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