Why We Co-Sponsor

IRIS partners with community groups throughout Connecticut to help refugee families restart their lives in towns across the state. Community Co-sponsors play an integral role in helping refugees become self-sufficient and get off to a strong start in their new home country. Co-sponsorship is a collaboration among IRIS, your community group, and a refugee family.

 

© Blind River Media and Open Society Foundations

Resettlement progress

In a co-sponsorship, IRIS delegates most resettlement tasks to your group. Co-sponsors secure affordable housing, collect furniture and other household items, and help refugees access public benefits (HUSKY/Medicaid, SNAP/food stamps, and TFA/cash assistance for eligible families). Co-sponsors also enroll children in school, facilitate job searches, and perform other necessary tasks. IRIS looks forward to partnering with your community group in the tremendous mission of refugee resettlement!

Churches, synagogues, mosques and non-faith-based community groups have already answered the call to help refugees resettle throughout Connecticut. See where Co-sponsors have already welcomed families on the map to the left.

becoming a co-sponsor

  1.  Read the following materials:
  1. Fill out the interest form. The IRIS Community Liaison will contact you.
  2. Complete and submit a Co-sponsorship Application [to amakar@irisct.org]
  1. IRIS will invite community groups with strong applications to participate in a full-day training session at the IRIS office in New Haven.