We believe in promoting a healthy, happy environment through wellness education and direct support on an individual and group basis to immigrant and refugees families. We aim to enhance social well-being, promoting social justice and advancing health equity.
This Initiative helps keep immigrants and refugees informed about public health issues. Promoting healthy lifestyles and broadening the use of clinical preventive services are critical to preserving health and reducing health care costs and long-term care needs. The MRC provides health education workshops; organizes community forums and events; informs and refers clients to health care facilities and other services.
Program to Enhance Elder Refugee Services (PEERS)
Funded by Office of Refugees and Immigrants (ORI)
ORI recognizes that elder* refugees and asylees face unique challenges. We strive to provide or connect them with the following elder services:
- Culturally and linguistically knowledgeable providers
- Connections to naturalization services – especially for those who have lost, or are at risk of losing Supplemental Security Income and federal benefits
- Information for caregivers on services available for elder refugees
- Inter-generational programming to foster connections between family members
- Connection to employment opportunities for elder refugees
- Training and information for mainstream service providers on best practices for working with refugee populations
*Elder is defined as someone who is over the age of 60
Source: Mass.gov
Wellness & Prevention
The goal is to teach healthy lifestyle choices with information on nutrition, exercise, occupational health and preventative services.
- Nutritional Assistance – Ed (The goal of this educational program is to improve the likelihood that all people eligible for SNAP make healthy food choices within a limited budget and choose physically active lifestyles.)
- Elderly Support – Ed (This program provides lunch and learn seminars as well as referrals to community-based programs meant to improve the health of seniors. This includes a volunteer medical escort for elders and disabled adults.
Women’s Leadership
This program provides access to every type of social service to improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. This program aims to help non-English speaking clients access information and services for any problem or need to address the unique issues women face in their private or professional life. For women, leadership potential can be complicated by cultural and linguistic barriers. This program provides information on leadership basics and provides support to immigrant women through a peer support network. Here members can learn about business opportunities and social management skills for their personal and professional development. If you are interested, we invite you to take part in our Business Club Meetings that are normally held every last Wednesday of the month at 6 pm at various locations where businesswomen, professionals, and those who intend to develop their carrier path can share their stories and establish relationships over a cup of tea or coffee. Check Our Calendar for this Event!
Heritage Youth Development
This program is organized to provide additional activities for immigrant youth groups during the summer and other vacation times. Youth immigrants’ valuable native language skills are frequently overlooked and undervalued resulting in progressive loss of the language. Building on immigrants’ existing abilities is an important step toward ensuring the development of a successful global community. The goal of MRC’s Heritage Youth Development (HYD) program is to provide educational activities to maintain and advance native language proficiency and optimize youth development to achieve full potential.
Heritage Youth Development program honors bi-lingual skills as community and personal assets to empower immigrant teens. Bi-lingual skills increase future job and leadership opportunities in our increasingly multilingual society. MRC’ Youth Development Heritage program also link schools with immigrant community-based organizations, to help other students value immigrant cultures. Achieving successful competency of a native language and its culture, enable students to gain experience in tutoring others interested in learning a foreign language and culture. Through this program, students experience responsibility, teamwork, giving back to the community and gain leadership skills. Heritage Youth Development program can help schools create an immigrant-friendly environment.