Imagine arriving in Portland, Maine from a refugee camp in Somalia or Iraq and not knowing the language or the customs of America. How do I mail a letter? What do traffic lights mean? What type of clothing do I need to survive a Maine winter? These simple tasks are often taken for granted but to a refugee, learning American customs and social etiquette can be an overwhelming experience. This is where an American Friend steps in to help.
Spend two hours a week for a minimum of six months to help a refugee family to:
Download the American Friends brochure here.
Interested?
Apply online for the American Friend program, call (207) 493-8935 or email kbrewer@ccmaine.org
Imagine yourself as a young adult, arriving in Maine from a refugee camp in Somalia or war zone in Iraq, filled with aspirations for your future in a new country but unsure of how to enroll in college, navigate U.S. work culture or receive the credentials you need to turn your lifelong goals into reality. More then one hundred young refugees and asylees arrive in Maine each year and struggle to continue their academics in a foreign language, system, and culture. Young adults 18 and older who arrive in the U.S. with limited English are rarely able to complete high school in the short amount of time they are allowed to attend.
Spend two hours a week for six months to one year and:
Want to be a mentor? Download the brochure for RIS Mentors here.
Need a mentor? Download the brochure for RIS Mentees here.
Interested?
Apply online for the RIS Mentoring program, call (207) 493-8935 or email kbrewer@ccmaine.org