Page 10 - Samaritas Our Hands Spring Summer 2024

REFUGEE SERVICES
Refugee Resettlement
Employment
Samaritas and Flagstar Bank: School Impact
Legal Assistance
Strengthening Michigan's Refugee

and Employer Partnerships

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T The Flagstar Foundation aims to bolster Samaritas' support for refugee families in Michigan,
enhance their integration into the workforce, and address critical employer needs. This
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involves joining the M Michigan Refugee Network, led by Samaritas, to tackle longstanding
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challenges in refugee and employer workforce development.
Samaritas plans to establish a comprehensive refugee employment model with three key stages:
initial employment, retention and progression, and upskilling and career development. They
created a Core Project Team to implement the model and developed an automated Employer
Workforce Development Intake process.
Specific funds supported the development of an online Employer Intake Form and database, to
streamline communication between Samaritas, employers, and refugee candidates. Success will
be measured with increased employer engagement and refugee families' successful integration
and progress toward self-sufficiency.
This initiative aims to maximize refugees' potential in Michigan's economy while meeting the
workforce needs of employers across the state.
Visit our Job Portal link to list jobs our clients can consider at partners.samaritas.org
Or to learn more, contact Christina Field at Christina.Field@samaritas.org
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One Venezuelan family of three has already overcome many barriers during their first few
months in the U.S. In partnership with Samaritas New Americans staff, the Co-Sponsor team, led
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by K Kathy Bauhof and SSherrill Heinrich, has assisted the family in many integral parts of their
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resettlement journey.
This family's deep care and support have allowed them to finally find peace and rest after years
of waiting for resettlement in the U.S., and we know the ripple effect of their dedication will reach
far and wide!
“Working with our family was one of the best things I have ever done. The gift of being able to
help them get settled, get a driver's license and a car, get jobs, phones, etc. was so rewarding.
Knowing God put me in this place, I knew this was the right thing to do. They were so grateful to Photo from left to right: Astrid Castro (mother of the family), Santiago
us, but we were the ones that reaped all the benefits. What a gift they were to us." Manzanarez (child of the family), Kathy Bauhof (Co-Chair of the Co-
-Kathy Bauhof, Co-Chair of the Co-Sponsor team Sponsor team), Tracey Parker (member of the Co-Sponsor team), Sherrill
Heinrichs (Co-Chair of the Co-Sponsor team)
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“I cannot imagine what it's like to start over again in another country, but now I can feel some of
what it's like - at least in some sense. We are so happy to know that our team has made a
difference in these families lives.”

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G Gary Maday shared that after bringing a UHaul full of furniture and other housing necessities to

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our storage units in Sterling Heights. Gary and his team from Messiah Lutheran Church in Bay
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City spent the month of January collecting donations and, in February, filled our storage units to
the brim with items for the refugee families served by our New Americans program. The
furniture was distributed to families in our care within a week and a half – families who now have
beds to sleep on, tables to eat on, and chairs to sit in...a home to fill with memories - thanks to
Messiah.
If you would like to make a lasting impact by becoming a Co-Sponsor, please contact DeeDee
McVety, Director - Faith-Centered Engagement at deedee.mcvety@samaritas.org or call
(248) 953-1944. You can also visit Samaritas.org/New-Americans/Engagement. Photo from left to right: Mackenzie Benninger, Rick Ahlberg, Gary Maday,
Gina Bunting, Randy Bunting, Don Zarlengo