Make Our City A Safe Haven - Louisville area connections

By Ellen Birkett Morris

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. 

– Emma Lazarus,
As seen on the Statue of Liberty

Immigrants and refugees are our neighbors, friends, teachers and co-workers. Kentucky has long been a haven for immigrants and refugees. According to the Kentucky Office for Refugees, Kentucky has resettled about 4,028 refugees from Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Iran and Syria since 2011.

In 2016, Kentucky took in more than double the national average of refugees per 100,000 residents. Sizable numbers of Iraqis and Somalis live in the area, and roughly 50,345 residents of the city were born outside the U.S., which amounts to about 7 percent of its overall population. Recent travel bans threaten to interrupt this long tradition, to separate families and to sew chaos and fear. Here are 13 ways to help those affected by the travel ban and below are some local resources that will allow you to volunteer, donate and/or advocate.

Are you an immigrant and need an advocate? Go to Immigration Advocates and Legal Services.

To volunteer, check out local agency web sites below or go to Volunteer Match. To donate, go to the agency’s website and click on the donation tab or button.

Local Immigrant and Refugee Services & Resources (primarily sourced from Louisville Metro’s website)

Office for Globalization	This Louisville Metro Office works to enhance Multi-Culturalism. They assists in connecting immigrants and refugees to governmental and non-governmental resources.
Kentucky Refugee Ministries	They are a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees. They work with the refugees to help promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into our community.
Americana Community Center	They are a non-profit organization, which provides a spectrum of services for the many diverse residents of Metro Louisville.  These services enable people to discover and utilize resources to build strong families, create a safe, supportive community, and realize their individual potential.
Catholic Charities of Louisville, Inc.	They are part of the largest, private human services network in the United States, serving people of all religious, ethnic, social and economic backgrounds. Through the Kentucky Office for Refugees (KOR) provides leadership; policy guidance and advocacy on specific issues affecting refugee resettlement. Migration Refuges Services (MRS) equips refugees with the support and assistance they need in order to become self-sufficient through services such as English, cultural and work orientation.
Community Services Translated Press Releases	Community Services is committed to accommodate Limited English Proficiency (LEP) by providing outreach and eligibility information in at least two non-English languages: - Spanish version of 2016 LIHEAP Crisis Press Release - Arabic version of 2016 LIHEAP Crisis Press Release
La Casita Center	La Casita Center enhances the well-being of Louisville's Latino community through education, empowerment, advocacy, and wellness. La Casita Center works intentionally to build a thriving community based on mutual support and respect.