CS/POWIR Program
Community Support Team Program
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS), along with dioceses across the country, relies upon parishes and other local community groups to carry out the scriptural mandate to “welcome the stranger” personified in refugees, migrants, and other men, women, and children on the move.Parishes Organized to Welcome Immigrants and Refugees (POWIR), a privately funded national initiative led by USCCB/MRS, seeks to develop a base of support, mentorship, and welcome for the newcomer through local, parish-based ministries of hospitality.
CS/POWIR Core Services
In agreement with CCAB, CS/POWIR teams provide anywhere from 8 – 15 of the following services:
Pre-Arrival
1. Assist affiliate in locating safe, sanitary, and decent housing
2. Set up housing with essential furnishings
3. Stock the pantry with groceries/food assistance
Arrival
4. Airport pickup with appropriate interpretation
5. Provide a culturally appropriate, warm ready-to-eat meal
Post-Arrival
6. Seasonally appropriate clothing for work, school, and everyday use
7. Transportation assistance (e.g., to and from job interviews and training, in compliance with motor safety laws)
8. Social Security Card application (according to requirements in the Cooperative Agreement)
9. Public benefits application: Cash Assistance, Medicaid, and/or SNAP (within 7 working days of domestic arrival)
10. School enrollment (within 30 days of domestic arrival)
11. Selective Service registration, if applicable (within 30 days of domestic arrival)
12. Enrollment in English language program (within 30 days of domestic arrival)
13. In collaboration with affiliate, health screening and immunizations (within R&P service period)
14. Additional public benefits applications: SSI, WIC, etc., if applicable (within R&P service period)
15. Cultural orientation provision & assessment (within R&P service period)
Community Support Teams
Being on a CS/POWIR team is not for every group or house of worship, but many still want to be involved. While these teams may not provide a wide range of core services and support to refugees, they can still participate!
Community Support Teams (CST) share the same mission, values, goal, and desire to support refugees in their community. Instead of providing 8-15 Core Services, CSTs partner with Catholic Charities in one of a few ways:
1. CSTs can be assigned to provide limited (1 – 8 Core Services above) for a single refugee or refugee family over the resettlement year.
2. CSTs can be an on-call response team that is engaged by CCAB when a refugee family w/out volunteer support has a very specific need. For example:
a. Transportation to medical facilities due to long-term illness or injury,
b. Help learning the local public transit system, or
c. Occasional companionship.
3. CSTs can be asked to partner with another CST or CS/POWIR team to provide additional support for a larger family.
4. Other possibilities that may arise.
This is a complex question. If you contact our Community Sponsorship and Engagement Team (program manager: Philip D’Agati), they will be happy to discuss both programs, the breadth and scope of the project, and what makes sense for you or your group.
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