Build a Refugee Support Network Around
a Faith-Based "Welcome Circle"
Dr.
Paul Johnston, Ph. D., is a retired professor at the University of
California Santa Cruz. He has volunteered to help Safe Harbors Network
establish a model for faith-based refugee support networks that we now
call "Welcome Circles".
Take a few moments to read his observations based upon his work in both Southern California and the Bay Area.
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(Santa
Cruz, CA) Based on over a decade of experience, Safe Harbors Network
offers the “Welcome Circle” model for anyone who wants to help these
vulnerable immigrants on their journey to a safe and better life. Such
Circles and connected networks are particularly suited for longer-term
support of refugees in interior communities.
In this model, congregation members and others open their homes to
families of asylum seekers. They rely on the help of a network of
volunteers and community organizations organized through a support
center located, ideally, at a local congregation or organization. The
network engages with local social service and refugee resettlement
agencies as essential partners in moving families toward
self-sufficiency and community membership
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