NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 1, 2018
MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rev. Jerad Morey, Program and Communications Director
Minnesota Council of Churches
(612) 230-3211
Minnesota Council of Churches Proud to Welcome Healing Minnesota Stories; Announces 3 Dakota Sacred Sites Tours
Yassah Mulbah joins our team as a full-time Health Case Manager working with Mary Kelso to support families in our Intensive Case Management Program. Growing up, her mother always encouraged her, saying “No matter how hard things are, you can always help. As long as you can help someone, do it.” That encouragement has led to a lifelong love of service.
“The Minnesota Council of Churches expresses great concern that another black man has been killed by police in Minneapolis. Such acts traumatize entire communities and demand that we ask the question: do black lives matter in Minnesota? As people of faith and followers of Jesus, we call for full transparency in the investigation of this police killing. We call for more systems of accountability in policing statewide. We also join those envisioning alternative ways for addressing violence and providing safety in our communities.
While our CEO was on vacation, the director of MCC Refugee Services spoke at a press conference last week organized in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s upholding the Trump administration’s Muslim ban. Here is his statement:
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My name is Ben Walen, representing the Minnesota Council of Churches, where I direct the refugee resettlement programs.
What does it take to help individuals who recently arrived as refugees find their first jobs in Minnesota? To give you a better sense of what is involved on a day-to-day basis, we asked Refugee Services employment counselor Brittany Esau to take a few notes about some of the activities she does in an average week. As you can see, working with an individual on their employment goals is a holistic process that addresses many facets of a family’s life. - Last week, I met with Karen family in their home to discuss employment.
Briana may be new to our staff, but she’s not a new face in the Refugee Services Mankato office. Briana has been volunteering in the office for a year, assisting where needed, and we’re excited to have her join our team as a part-time staff person. Briana provides administrative support to the staff of the Mankato office, greeting individuals in the lobby area, making sure that supplies are well-stocked, answering phones, and helping the office to run smoothly.
When a new-comer to Minnesota feels overwhelmed and doesn’t know where to start, Remona can offer empathy and hope based on her own experience. She tells them, “I was in your shoes 11 years ago, and it will be okay.” Remona and her family came to Idaho as refugees when she was just 12 years old, and just three weeks ago, she moved to Minnesota herself. Remona is a new Case Aide with MCC Refugee Services, assisting case managers and other staff where needed with newly arriving families, particularly those from Burma.
MCC Refugee Services’ newest employee, Ahmed “Jaffer,” joined the Mankato team just two months ago. He brings a wealth of experience and a great sense of humor as he works to help those who came to our community as refugees find employment in Minnesota. I interviewed him to learn about what brought Jaffer to MCC Refugee Services and share the work he is doing in the Mankato area.
