From the physical feat of crossing borders to the ongoing work of reconnecting with family members and learning the culture of their new countries, refugee resettlement is a process comprised of thousands of small tasks and many large ones. Thankfully, there are organizations who ensure that the families and individuals fleeing violence and natural disaster […]
By Bill Fortune, American Red Cross Geneva Conventions poster from Library of Congress Every day we are bombarded with the horrors of war. We wake up in the morning and bear witness to atrocities. Many live in fear for loved ones that are trying to survive in the midst of conflict. Many of those loved ones struggle […]
Local Red Cross workers connected a Colorado mother with her daughter in Uganda after they had been separated for over 10 years. Sarah was separated from her family as a young girl when they fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo to escape a violent civil war. Sarah’s father, brother, and all but one sister […]
Diplomacy can break down. Borders can appear where none existed before. Divisions between cultures, languages and beliefs can push communities apart. But in times of disaster, coordination between nations and organizations is key in preventing unnecessary destruction and keeping people safe from harm. According to Steve Recca, this month’s Red Cross Lunch and Learn speaker […]
By Christina Eyre, Red Cross Volunteer As I walk up the steps of the church that shares its home with a small but committed Congolese congregation, I’m serenaded by Swahili hymns in three-part harmony. Immediately I feel under-dressed next to women resplendent in tailored kitenge of every color. The pervasive sense of joy must be […]
By Katie Lynn-Vecqueray Sometimes, the greatest and most powerful gift is hope. Hope may come in many forms, but it is especially prevalent in the lives of individuals who have been separated from loved ones abroad. These individuals feel compelled to determine the fate, safety, and well-being of their families and friends, and the Red […]
University of Denver’s Dr. Karen Feste In recent weeks, a precipitous rise in conflict between Israel and Palestine has brought the region’s continued struggle to attain peaceful progress back into the world’s headlines. The half-century conflict between Palestinians and Israelis over recognition, resources and security has so stubbornly resisted any kind of resolution that it […]
Simulation participant Katie Lynn-Vecqueray holds up some of the paperwork used as part of the exercise By Katie Lynn-Vecqueray As a volunteer interning with the American Red Cross Restoring Family Links Program, I recently participated in a Refugee Resettlement Simulation where I was given a brief insight into the experiences of recent refugee arrivals as they work to […]
My name is Bryan Vibert and I am a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force. Our Air Force team is currently deployed to Jordan to a somewhat austere location. We don’t have a lot of “goodies,” (cookies, snacks, etc.) so we signed up through Anyairman.com, a conduit to the American public that generously supports […]
Human trafficking is a crime without borders, without a face, without gender or race or nationality. It affects men and women all over the world, from those in the poorest and most unstable nations to our very own American neighbors. This month’s International Services Lunch and Learn speaker, Silvia Tamminen, has worked closely with human […]