Baltimore Welcome Center

At Global Refuge, we believe everyone should be welcomed with dignity and open arms.

We established the Baltimore Welcome Center to provide protection-centered and trauma-informed case management services to those that are ineligible for traditional refugee resettlement services, including asylum seekers and those arriving through humanitarian parole.  The Center has since added refugee resettlement to its range of services. Unless otherwise noted, the Center serves those residing in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, which includes Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard, and Harford counties.

Services

Services for Immigrants who are currently on electronic monitoring (ISAP) as an alternative to that monitoring:

• Mental health screening and referral to mental health and psychosocial support
• Connection to community health providers.
• Legal services, including know-your rights support, a legal consultation, guidance to secure legal counsel, and support in obtaining assistance with applications where needed.
• Connection to community-based resources such as food banks, volunteer services, and faith communities.
• Education services, including school enrollment for school-age children, and access to youth and adult education programming, including English classes.
• Emergency food, housing, and financial assistance.

Services for Ukrainians

All Ukrainians who were granted humanitarian parole (UHP) upon entry to the United States after February 24, 2022 and before October 1, 2023 are eligible for services and assistance through a new 90-day program from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. This program is designed to help Ukrainians thrive in their new communities by providing services including:

• Initial assessment of needs and home visit
• Emergency housing support (if necessary)
• Work authorization application
• Public benefits application (including Social Security and Medicare)
• Medical screening
• School enrollment
• Referrals to employment programs
• Cultural orientation
• Mental health referrals
• Legal assistance referrals

Services for Cubans and Haitians

Cubans and Haitians granted humanitarian parole are eligible for services and assistance through a new 90-day program from the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement. This program is designed to help Cubans and Haitians settle in their new communities by providing services including:

• Initial assessment of needs and home visit
• Work authorization application
• Public benefits application (including Social Security and Medicare)
• Medical screening
• School enrollment
• Referrals to employment programs
• Cultural orientation
• Mental health referrals
• Legal assistance referrals

Services to employers who have refugees and other humanitarian immigrants on their staff through the Employer Engagement Program:

• Enhanced workplace integration
• Job skills training
• English language training
• Personalized goal planning
• Career advancement curricula
• Professional self-sufficiency

We also have a small number of programs to support Afghan humanitarian arrivals in the Alexandria area of Northern Virginia:

• A Family Strengthening Program to help with cultural adjustment.
• An Individual Development Account Program that matches savings towards buying an asset such as a car or higher education tuition.
• Light case management to fill gaps in access to services.

There is also a Micro Enterprise Development Program for eligible refugees, asylees, and other humanitarian arrivals.

For more information on any of these programs, please call 757-769-1851.