Announcement
Living room decorated
Photo: One World One Love
As shown,October through December was a pivotal period of change marked by the urgency to secure housing for newcomers. It prompted the IRC in NJ to find creative ways to look for housing for over 130 clients within a 3-month period. Thankfully, IRC partners have collaborated and supported the IRC in NJ in helping arrivals with this phase. IRC partners continue to support clients by 1) securing household basics and furniture, 2) assisting and leading in the hands-on work to set up apartments, and 3) extending a warm welcome to families.
The IRC in NJ is taking the time to extend its appreciation to its partners, many of whom are active agents of change in their community and beyond. IRC in NJ collaborated and is grateful for its many partners including One World One Love, Warehouse NJ, Welcome Home Jersey City, and many others! The IRC in NJ encourages you to learn a bit more about them. The following two partners have conversed with the IRC to talk about their mission, values, and their efforts to support refugees with housing:
One World One Love
One World One Love supports refugee families through support groups, tutoring, enrichment programs such as biking repair/distribution, camp scholarships, or in-kind item collections for babies. Support groups organized under One World One Love gather to support clients and their families by getting to know their community and feeling connected to resources. Finally, One World One Love provides vital support to newcomers through apartment setups. One World One Love is a volunteer-oriented organization that is built on the kindness of its volunteers. Some volunteers even drive up from 1 hour away to bring hands-on assistance for an apartment setup. Volunteers’ dedication makes One World One Love’s vision possible. These make a difference to families, allowing them to focus on moving into their new homes, adjust, and feel resettled.
Last year, One World One Love provided around 48 setups in total to families (in collaboration with resettlement agencies), and from September through December alone, organized 24 setups. This is quite significant given they normally organized 1-3 setups a month prior to the increase in arrivals, now it’s a lot more frequent and there is an urgent need to support all families.
With the increase in arrivals, One World One Love has been instrumental in supporting the IRC in NJ with move-ins. Once the IRC in NJ has secured a home for a client, including their family members, One World One Love’s lead coordinators organize volunteers to prepare the apartments for move-ins and they also help secure household items. Setups can take close to five hours. One World One Love is continuing to be an important partner to the Resettlement & Placement department. With their help, the IRC in NJ continues to ensure that clients move into a safe and welcoming home. The IRC in NJ is grateful for the hands-on support of One World One Love!
If you’d like to volunteer with One World One Love, please follow these steps: Please email: [email protected]. Include in the email: your hometown, cell phone number, vaccination status. Setups are normally during the week, volunteers age 10+ are welcomed. Setup supports are primarily in Union, Hudson, and Bergen County at the moment. Please contact with questions. Further, if you’d like to make in-kind donations: please drop off gently used household items.
Apartment setup by One World One Love
Photo: One World One Love
The Warehouse NJ
The Warehouse NJ is a non-profit and volunteer-driven organization that supports clients’ transition into their new homes. They support clients in Bergen, Union, Hudson, and Essex County. The Warehouse NJ helps clients, who live in unstable conditions, are between shelters, or need a home- to feel settled soon after they secure a new home. So far, The Warehouse NJ has supported 350 clients and is on target to help up to 450 clients transition by the end of the year.
The Warehouse NJ is committed to ensuring apartments have enough furniture for clients to feel comfortable. This makes a difference in having one less item to worry about so clients can focus on settling in, decorating their space, adjust to their new commute and neighbourhood. This makes a difference in having one less item to worry about, so clients can focus on settling in, decorating their space, adjust to their new commute and neighborhood.
The Warehouse NJ’s storage model focuses on collecting and distributing furniture pieces that are in gently used condition. The team gets in a truck with the furniture pieces and makes their way to the apartment to support with apartment setups. Their personalized approach marks them as a client-facing organization that puts client-agency at the forefront. The Warehouse NJ makes sure to account for clients’ needs so they can find the right items to suit their new home.
The Warehouse NJ has grown to develop close and collaborative partnerships with over 20 organizations active in their communities, including the IRC in NJ. The IRC in NJ shares The Warehouse NJ’s mission to support clients in improving and rebuilding their lives. It is the desire of The Warehouse NJ to continue being able to help these families and individuals to transition into their new homes. With financial help from the community, they can further service these clients as well as one day, purchase a truck to help with the picking up and delivery of furniture.
To learn more about The Warehouse NJ, and how you can support, please click here.
The IRC in NJ thanks YOU and its partners for...
helping refugee families resettle into their new homes. Without YOU, these initiatives could not come to fruition. Once again, the IRC in NJ gives thanks to ALL of its partners for helping with move-ins, offering prompt solutions to ensure homes are equipped with necessities, and being a light of community inspiration. The number of expected move-ins for all newcomers will continue to increase as families begin the new year in pursuit of change and restoration. New homes provide a pillar of relief to families, who can now focus on their long-term economic, education, and immigration goals.