Partnerships create stronger support for refugees
Like JFS, Wash Park United Church of Christ at the Mosaic Community Campus (WPUCC) in Park Hill welcomes every person, no matter their background. When the church’s Beloved Community committee learned about the increasing hardships their immigrant and refugee neighbors faced due to changes in policy, including the loss of Temporary Protected Status, work permits, and driver’s licenses, they also heard that JFS is a key partner in the community that provides critical, direct services to individuals and families navigating food insecurity, housing instability, mental health challenges, and barriers to economic mobility and a new partnership began.
In late spring, Allyson Sawtell, Co-chair of WPUCC’s Solidarity in Social Action Team, worked with JFS to propose potential funding through their Work in the World Fund. This fund is designed to distribute grants to nonprofit organizations, prioritizing projects and initiatives that advance justice, mercy, and community well-being and align with their congregation’s values.
We’re excited to share that a proposal was submitted and approved for JFS to distribute nearly $85,000 to prevent homelessness for 10 to 20 refugee households in crisis. This support includes:
Rental assistance to stabilize households facing eviction.
Transportation assistance through monthly bus passes to ensure access to employment, services, and stability.
Case management services to deploy funds effectively and ensure long-term housing stability.
“This gift is rare and especially meaningful because it provides far more than financial assistance; it offers safety, stability, and time,” said JFS Director of Refugee Resettlement, Troy Cox. “For newcomers, that time can mean the ability to focus on providing food for their families, finding employment, saving for the future, and taking meaningful steps toward long-term self-sufficiency—without the immediate fear of losing housing or being forced into an impossible financial situation.”
Partnerships like WPUCC strengthen lives and communities by providing essential human services with compassion, dignity, and respect. By meeting people where they are and addressing both immediate and long-term needs, we help create the foundation for sustainable, thriving lives.