Community Update | January 2025

Washington is home to a diverse refugee and immigrant community and has historically ranked as one of the top resettlement states in the United States. Immigrants and refugees face numerous challenges as they navigate life in a new country, often encountering significant barriers to accessing essential services such as healthcare, housing, and education. Some may have never seen a doctor or dentist before. Despite these obstacles, community-based organizations are stepping up to provide culturally responsive support and resources to help individuals and families achieve stability and success.

In this issue, we highlight three organizations making a difference: Community Health Worker Coalition for Migrants and Refugees (CHWCMR), Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW and Oceania Northwest. These programs not only address immediate needs but also foster long-term support that enable self-sufficiency.

Community Health Worker Coalition for Migrants and Refugees (CHWCMR) focuses on addressing health inequities within migrant and refugee communities. Their vision is a world of health equity, social justice, and environmental justice for these populations. One focus area for CHWCMR is supporting LGBTQ+ Latinx youth. These individuals often face both external and internal stigma, emotional abuse, and a lack of family and community support. These factors increase the prevalence and severity of mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety, compounded by the immigrant experience. CHWCMR is supporting younger Latinx LGBTQ+ individuals in South Snohomish County through peer support groups and a campaign aimed at increasing acceptance, reducing discrimination, and fostering community-wide support.

Refugee & Immigrant Services Northwest (RISNW) helps newly arrived refugees and immigrants rebuild their lives and create a pathway to achieve their potential. Refugees and immigrants share many common experiences in their journey, but their needs are unique and vary depending on their individual circumstances. At RISNW, staff members often share these experiences, which enables them to bring compassion and understanding to their roles, as well as to the services and programs they provide. Their client-centered services include supporting the health and wellbeing of clients and ensuring access to health care, food security and assistance with finding jobs, accessing clothing and household items, English language learning, and other essential resources.

Oceania Northwest supports Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NH/PI) and provides a range of services to help NH/PI youth and families navigate systems, make informed decisions, and access resources. Village Navigators at Oceania Northwest bridge cultural and linguistic gaps between families and healthcare systems. They act as advocates, provide healthcare education, and train healthcare providers to better understand the needs of Pacific Islander families. Additionally, Oceania Northwest works to combat food insecurity by offering free food to families in need. Their Village Markets, held every Thursday, provide Pasifika families with access to culturally appropriate food and other essential supplies.

We would also like to thank and acknowledge the work of these organizations who support the immigrant and refugee population in South Snohomish County.