Helping refugees and other displaced people establish new lives, regain hope, and contribute to the vitality of Connecticut’s communities.
Affiliated with Church World Service
& Episcopal Migration Ministries
Basic Services
Resettlement: Services include provision of housing, furniture, food, clothing, and other material needs. In addition, IRIS assists refugees in obtaining Social Security cards and medical examinations, enrolls children in school, provides community and cultural orientation and guides refugees in negotiating the many institutions with which they will come into contact. IRIS hosts a daily English class, and provides a childcare / school readiness program for young children whose parents are in the class.
Job Assistance: Refugees are highly motivated and authorized to work immediately upon arrival. Since the IRIS program is designed to foster early self-sufficiency, employment is a critical milestone in the resettlement process. IRIS works hard to promote refugee clients to area employers and to prepare clients for entry-level employment. Last year, the average wage earned by our clients was $11.16 an hour — well above Connecticut's minimum wage of $7.65. More than half of jobs obtained for refugees offered medical benefits. More »
Case Management and Support Services: IRIS provides referral, translation, transportation, crisis intervention, and counseling services. These services are available to refugees resettled by IRIS, refugees who have moved to Connecticut from other states, and asylees resident in the state.
Education: Many school-aged refugee children have never entered a classroom before coming to the US. As a result, these newcomers encounter a host of obstacles to achieving academic success. IRIS works to remove barriers by providing children with intensive in-school and after-school tutoring assistance, as well as a summer school program. IRIS also holds classes for parents to equip them to become active participants in their children’s education.
Community Co-Sponsorship: Growing out of a tradition of faith-based refugee resettlement, IRIS looks to congregations and other community-based groups to partner with us in our mission, and even host (as a full co-sponsor) a refugee family in their community. If you are interested in learning more about these exciting and rewarding partnerships, please review the Co-Sponsorship section of our website and contact Chris George at (203) 562-2095.
