Thank You from Interfaith Refugee Ministry
Thank you St. Timothy’s for including Interfaith Refugee Ministry (IRM) as a ministry of your church.
We wanted to share a much overdue update on our activities in Greenville. As an agency, IRM has had a very busy two years welcoming those fleeing dangerous situations to their new home in Eastern NC. Refugees coming through the United States resettlement program have been vetted, and invited to make a permanent home in the United States. Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) is one of nine resettlement programs, and IRM is one of their 12 affiliate offices. We have our main office in New Bern, but through the partnership with St. Timothy’s, we are able to have a satellite office in Greenville.
Vernita Howard is the case manager for the Greenville families and she started working with us a year ago. She is supported by the staff in the main office in New Bern. In FY2023 (10/23 through 9/24) we welcomed 10 families to Greenville from Syria and Colombia. In FY24 so far, we have welcomed 13 families to Greenville, who have come from Syria, Dem. Rep of Congo, and Central America.
Refugee arrival numbers are growing at a steady pace nationwide, and with community support from churches, civic groups and individual volunteers we are able to provide the services and support to these families as they rebuild their lives. Being able to have a space for meetings, or a quiet workplace when New Bern staff members are in Greenville, has made a difference to our mission.
In one of our newest partnerships, two med students from ECU Mohsen and Aliyah, received a research fellowship to provide health and wellness education with refugee families. They are also researching ways to meet other challenges the families face such as limited access to ELL classes. St. Timothy’s will be the meeting space for the workshops involving the Spanish speaking families, while the Arabic families will meet at the Islamic Center.
So far two events occurred at St. Timothy’s. The first one focused on understanding where to go to access healthcare in various situations, as well as how to use items in donated First Aid kits. On August 15th a non-profit “In Her Vision” and Durham Tech, came to Greenville. Sixteen clients were able to be evaluated and 14 pairs of glasses are on their way to the individuals who needed them. Being able to use the Parish Hall allowed them to make this event happen, and Durham Tech appreciated the added bonus of a shady area to park their equipment van. More sessions on nutrition, stress reduction, and community are planned for the next 5 months
Thank you for being part of the team of people helping these families as they learn about and adjust to their new community. If you have any questions about the work that is being done in Greenville, or would like to be a part of this ministry, reach out to Amanda Norwood, Community Outreach Coordinator at [email protected] or call the office at 252-633-9009.
