Partnering with IRC in NJ to co-sponsor a family is a meaningful opportunity to connect with, mentor, and support new families on their journey to rebuilding their lives here in America. RAMP is one of the IRC in NJ’s leading partners in the Community Co-Sponsorship Program. RAMP, the Refugee Assistance Morris Partners (RAMP), has supported many families in their journey to safety and community.  

RAMP is a non-profit coalition of faith-based organizations dedicated to helping families from Middle-Eastern refugee camps transition to productive lives of dignity, safety, and hope in the Morris County area of New Jersey. Collaboration and referrals between RAMP and IRC in NJ began in 2018. Since then, this partnership brought robust interconnected support to families in need of long-term support in various domains. Domains include health, safety, education, and economic mobility.  

RAMP provides holistic support to refugee families, including housing, furnishings, and utilities, social and medical, ESL classes and tutoring, transportation, employment, and financial literacy. They sponsor families from 3 to around 15 months. Once a family agrees to be matched to RAMP as their community sponsor, RAMP will next assess which domain of need and care they can assist in and soon gather a team of about 1-10 or sometimes up to 30 rotating volunteers to support.  

As part of holistic support, and here available, RAMP assists families facing medical obstacles, supports with transportation to doctor’s appointments, and medical insurance applications, and helps families find specialized care. RAMP has connected families to Obstetric care, ranging from finding a specialist to a midwife program. On another occasion, a family needed to find their baby's cardiac care because of an emerging heart condition. There was also an older client that need intensive surgery. RAMP is determined to connect families to the right care

RAMP reflects on the impact:  

RAMP’s volunteer Family coordinator, Paul, shares the process of supporting both clients and volunteers. His team supports IRC in NJ in finding their clients housing and arranging home visits. He fondly shares,  

“There are so many talented volunteers with diverse backgrounds who take the time to know each client. From ESL volunteers adapting to the various learning styles/interests of a client, nurse practitioners, and all the dedicated volunteers supporting social benefits applications- it's been wonderful to build a strong base of community volunteers. I am happy to hear when a volunteer supports a client on a doctor's visit or a guidance counseling meeting.”  

Carol, RAMP’s President, provides insight into how each domain of support is integral to the blossoming of a family and their sense of security and well-being, sharing:  

“RAMP strongly believes that volunteers positively contribute to a family’s sense of community. For many, the sense of community and friends is taken away due to family separation and displacement. Community is so integral to the wellness and mobility of an individual and family...It's wonderful to see children growing up and improvements in the health of family members. Especially through long-term sponsorship, we are watching families grow and that is the best part of community sponsorship programming at RAMP.”  

...IRC in NJ, also Reflects...

The intergenerational needs of clients and the diverse age range of volunteers make for an inclusive support system. There is an opportunity for volunteers to learn about the level of displacement and traumas that affect clients. The key is to build an exchange of trust and mutual understanding. This makes community co-sponsorship service models so unique. 

The IRC in NJ would like to thank RAMP and their ongoing support. They align with our mission to assist families to become independent and self-sufficient. To volunteer at RAMP, please check out their volunteer interest survey (see here)and their website here to learn more!  

To learn more about the IRC in NJ’s community co-sponsorship program, and ways to get involved, click here