Global Friends Coalition Building Friendships with Refugees in the Greater Grand Forks Community. The mission of the GFC is to build friendships with refugees in the Grand Forks Community. Our main goal is to help integrate refugees into Grand Forks, helping them become self-sufficient, productive citizens. 11/14/2018 Global Friends Coalition

Mission Statement The Global Friends Coalition brings together individuals and organizations to foster refugee (New American) integration through work with New Americans and the Greater Grand Forks Community.

Who are refugees? A refugee is an individual who has fled his or her home country because of persecution or fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion and has applied for refugee status and been granted it with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). Definition has come from the U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol.

Refugee Resettlement in Grand Forks FY 2010: 93; 2011:91

Refugee Resettlement in 2017 and Beyond FY 2017 (October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017) ended with just 56 refugees being resettled in Grand Forks FY 2018 projections for Grand Forks: 50 refugees President Trump has reduced the overall number to 50,000 for the U.S.

Bhutanese Refugee Camps in Nepal

Somali Refugee Camps in Kenya

Daily Food in a Nepal Refugee Camp 400 grams of rice 60 grams of lentils 25 grams of vegetable oil 20 grams of sugar 7.5 grams of salt 35 grams of wheat/corn/soya blend 100 grams of seasonal vegetable

Daily Food Portions

Common Health Concerns Change in weather/environment Lack of fresh fruits & vegetables Arthritis Nutrition—an understanding of a healthy diet Diabetes Headache, chest pain, leg pain—(choose one) nutrition, cleaning houses, diet, diabetes, good nutrition, arthritis

Health System Concerns Medicaid for first 8 months is helpful; concern about ongoing medical costs Insurance is hard to understand Billing is difficult—need someone to talk with them “face to face” General concern about what happens if they don’t gain citizenship Challenges getting to appointments because of a lack of transportation

General challenges in Grand Forks Hard to explain problems to doctors Would like doctors to know more about life as refugees They want to work, and be active, but they don’t speak good enough English They want their children to be well-cared for so they know they need to be healthy

If you could change one thing…. Full-time jobs English language opportunities 5 days a week Better transportation Help with insurance and billing Sewing classes Closer place to exercise

Six Word Memoirs by New Americans… Former Refugees—All Students at Red River High School

I am living between two worlds

“I MISS MY PEOPLE IN AFRICA”

Sadness is leaving brother in Nepal

Robert Wood Johnson’s Culture of Health

Everything is interrelated. Employment Transportation Child Care English Skills Health Care Understanding cultural norms

Family Mentors and Adult Literacy Program

Resilient Youth Program

Education and Outreach Program

Community Picnic 2017

Free Citizenship Class

Free Basic English Classes

Contact Information Cynthia Shabb, Ph.D. Executive Director cshabb@gfcoalition.org 701-746-8233