LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services is celebrating June as Refugee Awareness Month to showcase how refugees enhance the county’s culture. At their June 8 public meeting, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors will proclaim June as Refugee Awareness Month to encourage residents to embrace the many skills, talents, faiths, and values that refugees bring both culturally and economically.
DPSS and its community partners provide resettlement and other supportive services to refugees. They work together to empower refugees to make successful transitions toward independence and self-sufficiency. The department also offers employment training and temporary Refugee Cash Assistance to help pay for housing and other necessary expenses.
In the past five years, 4,013 refugees from over 30 countries have settled in L.A. County, according to the California Department of Social Services Refugee Programs Bureau. Refugees are often forced to flee their home countries due to religious and political persecution, war, and civil unrest.
To amplify this year’s message that refugees are welcome in L.A. County, DPSS is partnering with the county’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to celebrate Immigration Heritage Month to highlight how immigrants have helped make this country better. Home to more than 10 million residents, with 140 cultures, and as many as 224 languages, L.A. County is one of eight California counties with the largest population of refugees.
DPSS will partner with the World Refugee Forum of Los Angeles County and local agencies for a virtual event to celebrate World Refugee Day on June 18. Refugees will share their success stories, ethnic food recipes, a cooking demonstration and participate in a forum to discuss challenges they face living in California. To learn more and to pre-register for this event, visit: https://worldrefugeedayla.eventbrite.com.
For more information about refugee services offered by DPSS, visit the Refugee Services page on the DPSS website.
[Information via news release from Los Angeles County.]
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Bienvenidos says
Trust me,
We have been aware of all the refugees for some time now, especially in California
bottom and company says
We’re just fortunate the worlds refugees like the United States so much. Because if not, these fine folks might have went some place else.