When Araceli* arrived in the U.S. from Honduras with her young children, she brought a cautious hope for a new life, but also a deep fear of an uncertain future. She had no English skills, no financial security, and no community ties.
Back in her home country, Araceli had struggled alone. Her husband had left her, moved to the U.S., and never contacted her or their children again. She had to raise them by herself by driving a taxi and taking on odd jobs to survive.
Now, she faced a different kind of challenge—navigating an unfamiliar system in a new country without speaking the language. But when Araceli met her JFS resettlement case manager for the first time, he assured her that he would walk by her side every step of the way.
As with all newly arrived refugees, Araceli and her case manager had a long list of urgent tasks to tackle so she could begin establishing her life here. The first step—applying for food and cash benefits—caused her significant anxiety due to a delay in her application. She became increasingly scared of the prospect of more challenges ahead, even saying she wished she could return to Honduras.
She started feeling hopeful, however, as everything fell into place. JFS found her housing, enrolled her in health insurance, and connected her to local resources. She began to envision a future here.
JFS assisted with all her basic needs during the 90-day resettlement period the US government provided, but she still needed more support. We enrolled her in our Preferred Communities Program, where she and her family could receive services for another year.
Through it all, Araceli remained resilient. Today, she is independent and already embracing a brighter future. Recently, she came into the office to visit, and our front desk office assistant commented, “She’s like a different person now than when she first came in. I hardly recognize her!”
This is the work that our Refugee and Immigrant Services team is honored to do every day for hundreds of individuals like Araceli and their families.
*Name, home country, and other identifying details have been changed to preserve confidentiality.
Learn more about our Refugee and Immigrant Services Program.
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.