Opening Doors

Refugee services: in 2022, we provided services to 1,536 refugee clients, the majority of which consisted of afghan humanitarian parolees evacuated during the us withdrawal from afghanistan, but also included some iraqi, afghan, ukrainian and refugees from other countries of origin. We provide assistance in securing health care, housing, employment, and other basic living needs during the first 90-day arrival period. We are fortunate to have strong support from volunteers, local faith communities, and donors that help us ensure that adults receive esl and employment services, and children are enrolled in school as we welcome them to our community. The intensive case management program serves the most vulnerable refugees who require specialized services to stabilize and integrate into their new communities. Since the refugee resettlement program is time-limited to 90 days, the intensive case management provides an extended 6-12 months of individualized support for refugees experiencing physical or mental health conditions or particular challenges with integration.

Economic prosperity:our micro-lending, financial literacy, and career pathways programs support local businesses, stimulate the local economy, creates jobs, and improves the financial well-being of our clients and their families. In 2022, our economic prosperity team provided $241,067 in loans to immigrant- and refugee-owned businesses. Our micro-loans and business counseling help clients increase their assets and earning potential as well as develop their business skills with business development, cash flow projections, registering, licensing and marketing.

Survivors of human trafficking: we provided comprehensive case management services to 114 survivors of trafficking, an increase of over 60% from the previous year. Our support to survivors includes emergency, temporary, and permanent housing support in addition to case management services, which provides food, shelter, clothing, medical and mental health counseling, transportation and other essential services to both us-born and foreign-born survivors of trafficking.

Immigration legal services: Opening Doors provided pro bono immigration legal services to 908 clients, both new and existing cases from prior years. Our services included applications filed for immigration relief, daca applications filed, t- and u-visa clients, and clients represented in removal defense. Our immigration legal service programming expanded this year to include a new program called scale that was stood up by managing attorneys from varying sacramento-based non-profits providing immigration legal services and/or refugee programming. Each month, scale provided free pro se asylum clinics to approximately 10-15 afghan humanitarian parolee clients in need of adjusting their legal status to permanent. Health programs: Opening Doors provided 186 clients access to culturally-responsive mental and behavioral health care through a wide network of providers we partner with. Our approach is multifaceted through individualized therapy and support groups and caters to the particular needs of each client. This year, we expanded our group programming to educate afghan men on the impacts of domestic violence and how to seek help for mental health stressors in an effort to reduce the prevalence of domestic violence in the sacramento afghan community.