Refugee Services

Della Lamb has been formally resettling refugees in Kansas City since 2014, but we’ve been providing services to KC’s refugee population for decades! There are many ways you can help our new refugee neighbors. You can prepare a home, teach ESL or cultural orientation, or even partner with a family during the transition! Learn how you can help here!

If you’d like to give financially to help our new neighbors, you can do so here. Donations are used to help with utilities, purchase beds or cribs, given as petty cash for new clothes, and so much more. Just select “Refugee Services” in the dropdown!

Refugee Resettlement is the newest of Della’s core programs, however, it’s as rewarding as any service Della Lamb offers. After having provided services to refugees living in Kansas City for decades, Della Lamb was approved as a “Refugee Resettlement Agency” by the U.S. State Department’s Office of Refugee Resettlement. In April, 2014, Della Lamb resettled its first refugees. Within two years it became Della’s fastest growing program.

The process of resettling a refugee family includes multi-disciplinary services, most prescribed by the Federal Government, but also determined by the specific needs of the refugee and/or family members.

Upon notification of the impending arrival of a refugee family, the staff prepares to welcome them to America and Kansas City. The initial resettlement process begins with:

• Securing appropriate housing, paying the rent and arranging for deposits and for utilities to be connected.
• Furnishing the house with furniture, house wares, beds and bedding and food.

Upon arrival, the family is taken to its new home, oriented to the features and appliances (i.e., gas stove, furnace, thermostat, hot tap water, bathroom facilities, smoke alarms, etc.). The family is also provided with a hot meal of their native culture, before they end their first day in Kansas City.

The ultimate goal of the Refugee Resettlement program is move the refugee family towards self-sufficiency, with the Federal mandate to make them self-sufficient within 90 days of arrival. We have multiple programs that provide the first steps toward English language acquisition, which leads to a job.

ESL (English as a Second Language) and Cultural Orientation Classes

• The ESL program focuses on “functional” language skills related to learning basics, such as the calendar days of the week, telling time, the money system, basic nouns/verbs to identify the refugee’s home or identify actions.
• Cultural orientation classes assist the refugees to adjust to functioning in the community. We provide practical assistance related to grocery shopping, accessing transportation – field trips to learn to ride the bus, basic health and hygiene practices and other life skills. As the family faces new situations, we educate and assist them to ensure they have positive experiences.

Reception and Placement

Our Reception and Placement (R&P) program provides required services mandated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. A myriad of services must be completed within a specific time frame. For example, children must be enrolled in school by the 5th day after arrival, Social Security numbers must be applied for and received before the adult members of the family are eligible to work and medical exams must be completed by the 7th day.

R&P case managers also assist the client to access legal and financial services, establish bank accounts, make referrals for medical care, provide interpreters, etc.

Employment Services

• The Job Preparation/Placement program is ultimately the final step in ensuring the refugee family will be in a situation to become self-sufficient.
• Identify previous vocational experience and/or vocational skills. Often refugees have been in “refugee camps” for extended periods of time (maybe years) and have little or no practical experience. Employment coaches use an individual’s life experiences to match it with traditional jobs in our area.
• Coordinate resume development and the job search. Technology skills are developed as individuals use computers to develop a resume, research requirements of specific jobs and search for job openings.
• Assist with job applications and interview skills. With help of staff and trained volunteers, refugees complete on-line applications. Being new to our community and employee-employer situations, extensive interview practice helps refugees understand the employment environment.
• Upon job acceptance, the Della staff works with the refugee to understand responsibilities, specifically related to their job: work hours, being on time, where to board the bus, clock-in and lunch break procedures, how to contact a supervisor about an issue, etc. Della staff often works with the employer as well, to ensure a mutual understanding, and to be a resource for the employer if there is a need to address workplace issues.

Trends with Della Lamb’s Refugee Resettlement program:

• In the first full-year of operation, 2015-16, our Refugee Resettlement program resettled 200 individuals.
• In 2016-17 we anticipated resettling up to 290 individuals. Because of the first Presidential Executive Order in January ‘17, and the subsequent decrease in arrivals, we resettled 167.
• During the, 2017-18 Federal fiscal year (ending September 30, 2018) Della Lamb resettled 60.

However, the work of our Refugee Resettlement program continues…

• When a refugee is employed, prior to the 90-day deadline, he/she will still need continued services. Federal funding may have ended, but these individuals and families rely on us as they did when they arrived.
• They may need continuing assistance with accessing government services, more information about rent and utility payments, communicating with their children’s school or a medical provider.
• Our ESL Program continues to provide on-going classes so refugees can improve their ability to speak, read and write the English language. After being in Kansas City for several weeks, they realize that language acquisition is vital to the acculturation process and upward mobility in employment.

Refugees know Della Lamb Community Services. Refugees know Della Lamb welcomed them to Kansas City.  Refugees know Della Lamb assisted them with everything from their first day.  Refugees know Della Lamb will continue to help them, so they come to our door seeking assistance; and Della Lamb responds, as it always.

Supporting Della Lamb’s Refugee Resettlement

It takes a village!  When the needs of the newly arriving refugees to Kansas City became known, the community responded. From all corners of the region, offers poured in to help.

• In-kind donations of lightly-used, functional furniture, household items, toys and books were made available to families through our Amazon Wishlist.
• Financial donations for rent and utility payments – beyond the first 90 days – supported the basic needs of families as they moved closer to self-sufficiency.  Specific families’ needs were also met, including medical services, transportation support, etc.

We encourage your ongoing donations to Della Lamb to serve the needs of refugees and other low-income children and families.