International Rescue Committee - Oakland

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland's programs are designed to ensure that you, as a refugee, thrive in America--whether ensuring your children are enrolled in school, you as an adult is become self-reliant through employment or starting businesses, or families are receiving acute medical care you need to recover from trauma or illness. If you are in need, the IRC will help you to rebuild your life and regain control of your future in your new home community.

We support people who have been displaced from their homes by things like conflict, violence, and persecution. Though their technical status may vary, one thing these individuals have in common is that they are seeking safety and an opportunity to move their lives forward.

This includes people with refugee status, those seeking or recently granted asylum, victims of human trafficking, survivors of torture, and more. In recent years, many have come from countries like Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Guatemala, El Salvador, Eritrea, and Iran.

Those with refugee status come to the U.S. through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which partners with the IRC and nine other national resettlement agencies to help them restart their lives. Out of the 35.3 million refugees worldwide, fewer than 1 percent are considered for resettlement.

Our programs in Oakland:

• Resettlement begins when you touchdown at the airport. Within the initial three month span, the team helps you with housing, employment, benefits, health insurance, enrollment in English classes, cultural orientation, and referrals to internal and external support. Intensive case management is available for clients with special needs, for example a health condition, who may require additional support.
• Economic Empowerment is critical to building stability in your new home. The Refugee EE Department assists clients who are seeking employment. They offer basic training and mentoring, assistance with resumes and interviews, and weekly employment and ESL classes. The empowerment specialist builds working relationships with employers and businesses for the benefit of our clients.
• New Roots works to increase your access, as a refugee, to and participation in the local food system through nutrition education, food security programming, community gardening, and micro-enterprise training.
• Immigration not only serves you as a refugee or asylee client, but we also serve any low-income immigrant population. The department provides assistance in applying for Green Cards, Citizenship/Naturalization, travel documents, employment authorization, visa applications, petitioning for family reunification, CAM/AOR, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
• Anti-Trafficking strives to provide timely, high-quality, comprehensive services to survivors of human trafficking as well as raise awareness and educate the public through collaboration and coordination with law enforcement and other community organizations.

• The Health & Wellness program promotes wellness and ensures access to healthcare services that address physical and psychological needs. Program areas include mental health and wellness, maternal and prenatal health, healthcare literacy and access, and health and nutritional promotion in communities

  • PEI: The Prevention and Early Intervention program provides psychosocial support for clients who feel isolated, depressed, anxious, are survivors of gender-based violence, and/or are struggling to manage stress.

  • ICM: The Intensive Case Management program provides up to 12 months of case management services. The ICM program serves refugees with complex medical cases. The case management staff and volunteers work to provide direct case management services and referrals for community resources to address the needs of these clients and their patients. The objective of this program is to achieve the goal of ensuring that all refugee clients receive continued, high quality health care and live healthy lives after resettling in the United States.