Grants to Help Immigrants and Refugees in Missouri

Grants to Help Immigrants and Refugees in Missouri is sponsored by Missouri State Agency (managed through The Grant Portal). This Missouri funding initiative supports a variety of programs through grants specifically tailored for organizations serving immigrants and refugees.

Refugee Resettlement - USCRI Refugee Resettlement - USCRI 350,000 Refugees from Around the World in Communities Across the U.S. USCRI has resettled over 350,000 refugees from around the world in communities across the U.S. USCRI helps refugees and other newcomers achieve self-sufficiency and become contributing members of American society.

Reception and Placement Program USCRI’s Reception and Placement (R&P) Program is at the heart of our work with refugees. This public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of State has provided a safe haven for those who have fled their homes in fear of persecution for almost 50 years.

Since 1977, USCRI has worked across the nation and assisted over 300,000 newcomers–connecting them to services and building bridges to their communities. The USCRI current R&P Network includes 34 sites in 22 states.

USCRI staff begin their work at the airport- welcoming our new clients, providing them furnished housing, and connecting them to benefits and supportive services including Social Security cards, healthcare, schools, English classes, and employment opportunities. USCRI staff work closely with volunteers, social service providers, employers, and communities to help refugees start their new lives in their new communities.

We believe in partnerships. Employers provide jobs and on-the-job training. Community members donate clothing and household goods, and they reach out to newcomers to make sure that they feel welcome and accepted.

At the headquarters level, USCRI provides training and ongoing technical support to staff at the local level on the provision of R&P program services to ensure clients are provided with the best opportunity for early self-sufficiency and integration. The Matching Grant Program is an alternative to public cash assistance funded by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

It helps eligible refugees become economically self-sufficient within 120 to 180 days of program eligibility. Through the MG Program, USCRI promotes the economic self-sufficiency and long-term economic security of refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking , and Special Immigrant Visa Holders (SIVs).

Services include case management, employment services, maintenance assistance, English language training, health and medical referrals, and social adjustment services. The USCRI MG Network includes 31 sites in 22 states. Preferred Communities Program Preferred Communities (PC), funded by ORR, provides intensive case management to the most vulnerable refugees.

USCRI operates the PC program at 19 sites in 14 states to help refugees move towards stability and self-sufficiency with individualized, comprehensive case management services for up to one year from arrival.

PC facilitates the successful resettlement and integration of especially vulnerable groups of newly and recently arrived refugees (and other ORR client populations) and the enhancement of PC providers’ capacity to serve such populations at new or established PC locations. Refugee Loan Collection Services USCRI oversees the travel loan repayment process for the refugees that we resettle.

By guiding the clients through the repayment process, our loan counselors help refugees gain basic financial literacy and establish good credit in their new country. The repayment of these loans enables the U.S. Government to continue to assist refugees. Help us make a difference.

Donate. For information about our refugee resettlement program, please contact: Reception and Placement Program Locations David W. Bloom’s consulting firm was founded in 2004.

His client engagements help organizations achieve competitive advantage by maximizing the performance of top talent. David brings a blend of strategic focus and practical experience to challenges across the entire talent supply chain—from candidate selection to onboarding, professional development, performance management, and succession planning.

His clients include Bausch & Lomb, Goldman Sachs, International Flavors and Fragrances, JPMorgan Chase, McKinsey & Company, Ogilvy & Mather, Pfizer Inc., and Reuters. For 20 years, David was a Senior Vice President and Global Practice Leader at Brecker & Merryman, a boutique HR consultancy.

Before his consulting career, David served as Vice Dean for Executive Education at the Wharton School and Director of Admissions for the MBA program at Penn. David has long been active in the not-for-profit arena.

He has served on the boards of the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers, Bellevue Literary Review, Trotman Ltd, the Brown University Alumni Association, and Behind the Book, a New York-based literacy organization focused on marginalized public-school students. He is the former Chair of Art Connects New York and Musica Sacra and a co-founder of the LEAD Program in Business.

David volunteers as an HIAS Career Mentor, working with newly arrived refugees. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University, David was the recipient of a Watson traveling fellowship for post-collegiate travel and study abroad. Brian joined USCRI in 2026 as Director of Finance and Compliance.

He was drawn to the mission in part by his own family history: all of his grandparents immigrated to New York, and later Washington, D. C. , in search of a better life for their families.

That legacy informs his commitment to USCRI’s work today. Brian is a Certified Public Accountant (Maryland) who majored in Accounting at The University of Alabama and later earned his MBA through The University of Phoenix online while working full-time and raising young children. He brings over 25 years of managerial financial experience across public accounting, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations.

For Brian, joining USCRI is an opportunity to put his past experience to work in service of a larger community. Immigration Legal Services Suite 350, Houston , TX 77082 Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form. USCRI Missouri maintains a Resource Hub and a Master List of Resources which are consistently updated.

Looking for potential partnership opportunities, or in need of support or additional resources please reach out to us at [email protected] . Refugee Health and Wellness Program (RHWP) Through training opportunities and resource sharing, the Refugee Health and Wellness Program (RHWP) empowers community members to feel confident supporting refugees.

From large private sector to local organizations the training offers information to build trusting relations with refugees and newcomers, in turn building resilience and encouraging clients and patients to seek help for physical and mental health challenges. Trainings Opportunities: All program trainings are free and are offered virtually or in-person.

Trauma and Culture and working with Diverse Population This is a one-hour, virtual training, offered on a monthly basis. Please follow our newsletter to receive the most up-to-date training schedule or reach out to [email protected] to book a training for your agency.

This training covers how trauma and stress are experienced differently through one’s culture, including understanding the intersection of culture and trauma and the foundations of cultural competence and cultural humility leading to improved trauma-informed care, trust building and respectful care.

More information on MHFA can be found at Mental Health First Aid Missouri Compiled in our Dropbox is a large collection of materials that may help both providers and clients. Information and materials are organized in folders and within our master list of resources. From health topics (measles, diabetes, covid-19) to child safety topics (such as car seat safety) to information on health systems (Medicaid, transportation).

This resource hub includes information in multiple languages, flyers, and short videos. Resources and trainings are also consistently developed based on need and feedback from the community! What information and trainings would be helpful for you?

Please take a minute to fill out this quick questionnaire if you would like a topic to be covered, beyond what is currently being offered. Please email Katie Simpher, Refugee Health and Wellness Program Officer at [email protected] to discuss any training needs.

Refugee Health Promotion (RHP) Refugee Health Promotion (RHP) is a Refugee Support Services (RSS) set-aside program that promotes the health and wellbeing of refugees and other ORR-eligible groups for up to 5-years from date of arrival to the U.S. or date of ORR-eligibility by: 1) Providing opportunities to increase health literacy, 2) Coordinating physical and mental health care; and 3) Organizing wellness group activities.

RHP-funded organizations may provide services that fall under one or more of these categories, which is dependent on each individual agency’s annual proposal and program design. The nature of services provided can also vary by agency, even within the same category, so it is always best to reach out to them directly to obtain information and coordinate care.

Health Education Program (HEP): Health Education Classes and Targeted Health Outreach to Individuals. Programs provide opportunities to increase health literacy for eligible populations, empowering clients to make informed health decisions. Health Navigation Program (HNP): Medical and Mental Health Navigation and Support.

Programs coordinating health care for individuals and providing services to ensure individuals can navigate and access complex health care systems. Adjustment Groups, Skill-Building Networks, and Peer Support Meetings. Programs organize wellness groups to connect individuals with social groups and learning activities that promote their health and well-being.

Missouri Refugee Health Services subcontracts with a combination of community-based organizations, federally qualified health centers and local resettlement agencies to implement the above programs.

ICNA Relief Health Education and Wellness Groups for Afghan individuals Monarch Immigrant Services Health Navigation and Wellness Groups for all ORR-eligible populations Affinia Healthcare Health Education and Health Navigation for complex medical health conditions for all ORR-eligible populations Kindness Begins with Me Health Education and Wellness Groups for Afghan individuals Refugee and Immigrant Services and Education (RAISE) Health Education, Health Navigation and Wellness Groups for all ORR-eligible populations Access Family Care Health Navigation for complex medical health conditions for all ORR-eligible populations Monarch Immigrant Services Health Education and Health Navigation services for Afghan individuals Della Lamb Community Services Health Education, Health Navigation and Wellness Group activities for all ORR-eligible populations Jewish Vocational Services Health Navigation for all ORR-eligible populations Refugee Medical Screening (RMS): USCRI administers this program to provide domestic refugee physical and mental health assessment, identify communicable diseases of potential public health importance and referrals to primary healthcare providers.

The Refugee Medical Screening program conducts the domestic health assessment for new ORR-eligible arrivals, following guidance issued by ORR and Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) , referring clients to primary care and specialists as needed. The Refugee Medical Screening must be completed for each new ORR-eligible arrival within 30-90 days post arrival to the United States or from their date of ORR-eligibility.

Missouri Refugee Health Services subcontracts with four federally qualified health centers to provide complete domestic health assessment and vaccinations to new arrivals. Those clinics are located in Saint Louis, Kansas City, Joplin and Springfield: Saint Louis – Affinia Healthcare at the South Broadway location. Kansas City – Samuel U.

Rodgers Health Center – Downtown Campus (Euclid Ave) Joplin – Access Family Care – Joplin Medical and Dental Clinics and Pharmacy Springfield – Jordan Valley Community Health Center – Tampa Clinic It is important to note that immunizations given at or during Refugee Health Screening appointments are the same ones required for the Adjustment of Status (or “Green Card”) process with a Civil Surgeon.

Initiating Medical Screening as soon as ORR-eligible individuals meet eligibility is very important and ensures that families are more prepared for Status Adjustment when they file for their I-693 application. Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA): USCRI administers this program to provide high quality, cost-effective health benefits to refugees and other ORR-eligible groups, who are ineligible for Medicaid in Missouri.

RMA provides up to 4 months of health insurance that mirrors the state’s Medicaid program for adults without children or others in special circumstances, such as adults 65+ or living with a disability who are pending SSI/Medicaid. In Fiscal Year 2027, with H. R.

1 (“OBBA”) ending decades of Medicaid coverage for refugees and other humanitarian parolees, Missouri’s RMA usage is expected to grow exponentially for newcomers.

This program, however, will continue to only cover refugees for up to 4-months from their date of arrival to the United States, even with upcoming shifts in policy leaving many refugees uninsured for long periods of time until their status is adjusted to meet Medicaid program eligibility. In response to the H. R.

1, USCRI is creating a directory for low-cost and free healthcare providers in Missouri. To accomplish this goal, USCRI has created a form to gather health resources that currently exist in the major Missouri regions of resettlement. If you are aware of a free or an affordable healthcare service in your community, please take a few minutes to fill out the form, by clicking here or using the QR code.

MO RHS partners with local agencies in Saint Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Joplin and Springfield to enroll eligible clients into the RMA program. International Institute of Saint Louis Jewish Vocational Services Della Lamb Community Services Refugee and Immigrant Services and Education (RAISE) International Institute of Southwest Missouri (IISMO) Zeze Rwasama is Director of Refugee Services.

He has dedicated the 20 years of his life providing social integration and self-sufficient services to refugees and immigrants.

Prior to joining USCRI, I was the Executive Director of a local refugee resettlement for 10 years and currently overseeing the implementation of the Initial Resettlement, Matching Grant and Preferred Community programs at USCRI focusing on program outcomes, technical assistance, monitoring to ensure quality of services and compliance of federal guidelines.

Zeze’s childhood dream of pursuing a career in electronics engineering took a turn towards helping disadvantaged refugees when he became a refugee. His personal journey as a refugee in 1995 ignited his passion for supporting refugees, leading him to accumulate extensive refugee services experience both within and outside the United States.

Additionally, he has contributed his expertise to the boards of several non-profit organizations, including the Unity Alliance of Southern Idaho, Culture for Change, and the Valley House Homeless Shelter Taylor McNaboe is the Director of International Programs at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI).

In his role, he oversees USCRI’s international programs in El Salvador, Kenya, Mexico, and Honduras in addition to undertaking the expansion of USCRI’s field offices in Latin America and Africa. He began working at USCRI in 2021 as a Program Assistant for the Reception and Placement (R&P) and Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) Programs.

Additionally, Taylor has prior experience with NGOs in the Middle East and North Africa that deal with migration-related issues. He has an MA in Intercultural Mediation in the Mediterranean Region from Cà Foscari University and an undergraduate degree in French and Chinese from the University of Edinburgh. Julie came to USCRI in 2024 with 23 years of legal experience, including leadership, management, and program experience.

Prior to her role at USCRI, she served as a Judge Advocate General in the United States Air Force for 14 years where she held various positions including prosecuting violent crimes, representing victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, contract management, and ethics. Julie also has experience managing teams located across multiple offices.

Immigration Legal Services for Afghan Arrivals (ILSAA) Immigration Legal Services for Afghan Arrivals (ILSAA) Program title: SAFETY FIRST (Safety For Immigrant and Refugee Services in Texas) USCRI operates a 3-year Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) program that provides comprehensive immigration legal services and case management to foreign born survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in the Dallas metro area.

Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) program USCRI operates a 3-year Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) program that serves foreign born survivors of trafficking who are residing in the Detroit metro area. Unaccompanied children in their legal and mental health needs through the OAK Foundation since October 2015.

DC-based undocumented children in their pursuit of lawful status since October 2019 through the DC Mayor’s Office’s cultural affairs department Our San Diego, CA office serves San Ysidro border crossers in need of immigration legal services and representation before the San Diego Immigration Court.

Ukrainian parolees who are displaced from the war and are seeking permanent resident status in the U.S. through ORR PC II Supplement funding Resettled refugees in obtaining their work permits and green cards through Refugee Support Services (RSS) Offices have been serving unaccompanied children in their legal and mental health needs through the OAK Foundation since October 2015 Our Detroit office’s Surviving Trauma and Reaching Success (STARS) program serves survivors of trafficking in and around the Detroit metro area through the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime Refugees and immigrants securing lawful permanent status in the US if they have been a victim of a crime in or outside of the U.S. through the Iowa Attorney General’s VOCA program Ukrainian parolees who are displaced from the war and are seeking permanent resident status in the U.S. through ORR PC II Supplement funding Resettled refugees in obtaining their work permits and green cards through Refugee Support Services (RSS) Ukrainian parolees who are displaced from the war and are seeking permanent resident status in the U.S. through ORR PC II Supplement funding Resettled refugees in obtaining their work permits and green cards through Refugee Support Services (RSS) T: 216-781-4560, Extension: 3 Designated Office of New Americans Opportunity Center in the Capital region of New York provides citizenship instruction and application services to refugees and immigrants.

Ukrainian parolees who are displaced from the war and are seeking permanent resident status in the U.S. through ORR PC II Supplement funding Resettled refugees in obtaining their work permits and green cards through Refugee Support Services (RSS) Annahi Ruano has over a decade of experience working in human services and the criminal justice system.

In 2013, she became a Behavioral Health Therapist specializing in family therapy and individual therapy for children 5-17 in the foster care system. She began working at ORR shelters in 2017 as a Clinician in Arizona in a 400-bed shelter for Southwest Key Casa Kokopelli and transitioned to Lead Clinician/PSA Compliance Manager in California for Casa San Diego a 90-bed shelter with three locations/ licensees for boys and girls 5-17.

She later became the Program Director/CA Program Administrator with Southwest Key Programs for Casa San Diego. She has a passion is helping children and families in need and her heart is with immigrants, as she comes from immigrant grandparents and parents who came to the United States for a better future for future generations. She holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in forensic psychology.

With over 25 years of dedicated experience in working with vulnerable youth, Alejita Rodriguez brings a wealth of experience to the field of social work. In 2021, Alejita joined USCRI as the shelter Director of Rinconcito del Sol, a role that highlights her unwavering commitment to improving the lives of children.

Alejita earned her Master’s degree from Grand Valley State University where she developed a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to address the complex challenges faced by vulnerable youth. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a profound commitment to program development, ensuring programs are both innovative and effective.

This dedication extends to compliance, as she is well-versed in regulatory and legal requirements, ensuring the utmost safety and quality of care for the children under her supervision. Alejita has been a catalyst for youth development, using her experience to create supportive, nurturing environments that enable children to thrive.

Sam Udani has been involved with the immigration community in the USA for most of his career spanning three decades, involving immigration politics and immigration policy and covering all manner of immigration into the USA, including refugees. He has been a tireless advocate for enlightened immigration laws for the USA since ACWIA, AC21/ACTA and continuing from then on. Mr. Udani currently serves as the Law Publisher and CEO of ILW.

COM and Immigration Daily, a position he has held for over twenty years. As Publisher, he directs all activities of the website and newspaper with over 50,000+ pages of free information on immigration law that receives 250,000 visitors per month. Under Mr. Udani’s direction ILW has conducted 600+ CLE seminars, published over two dozen immigration law books and conducted hundreds of immigration events in over a dozen countries.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Udani founded an advertising agency and a small company in international trade.

A hallowed name for refugees, and generally for the entire immigration field, is Edith Lowenstein who served as Editor of Interpreter Releases, the first (and for half a century the only) periodical reporting on developments in immigration/refugees – Interpreter Releases was housed within USCRI’s predecessor entity for its formative decades.

Today’s Immigration Daily is in direct descent of Interpreter Releases, Mr. Udani is always reminded of this when before Edith Lowenstein’s image in USCRI’s board room. Gabriel Lajeunesse is a financial advisor and former U.S. Air Force officer with over 30 years of experience in national security, wealth management, and community development.

He served for two decades in international security roles, including assignments advising the Joint Chiefs of Staff and supporting National Security Council committees at The White House. His final deployment to Afghanistan included leading a multinational team of over 600 personnel. He is a Bronze Star recipient for his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Following his military career, Mr. Lajeunesse transitioned into financial advising, specializing in portfolio strategy, business transitions, and real estate investments. He holds certifications as a Certified Exit Planning Advisor and Accredited Asset Management Specialist, and is admitted to the D. C.

Bar. He is the founder of Aacred Development Holdings, a real estate private equity firm focused on Smart Growth housing in Northern New England. He also serves as a planning commissioner and member of the Vermont Community Development Board.

Mr. Lajeunesse holds degrees from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Naval Postgraduate School, Georgetown University Law Center, and an Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. John T. Monahan, JD, is interim dean at the School of Nursing & Health Studies and senior advisor to Georgetown University’s President.

A Georgetown community member for many years, he holds Georgetown academic appointments as Professor of Medicine, Senior Lecturer at Georgetown Law, and Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy, and has taught courses at NHS, Georgetown Law, and the School of Foreign Service.

Over the course of his professional career, the core of Monahan’s work has focused on addressing complex health and social service programs affecting vulnerable populations in the United States and internationally.

In his varied career, Monahan has served as Legal Counsel to US Senator David Pryor; Law Clerk to US District Court Chief Judge John Grady; and is a veteran of numerous political races, including the Mondale and Clinton presidential campaigns.

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, he serves on the boards of the National Network for Public Health Law, US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Monahan holds bachelors and law degrees cum laude from Georgetown University. Regis G.

McDonald is an accomplished social service executive with decades of experience in managing and developing cutting edge programs and services for youth and families involved with the child welfare, juvenile justice, child mental health and immigration systems. Mr. McDonald at the time of his retirement was Senior Vice President for Programs at The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

The Children’s Village was founded in 1851 in Lower Manhattan as the New York Juvenile Asylum. Today, the Children’s Village is a nationally and internationally respected multi-service human service organization with a staff of over 1,500 and an annual budget exceeding $91M.

Mr. McDonald’s work at CV positively impacted and enriched every aspect of the organization, including its work on Undoing Institutional Racism and providing shelter and staff secure care to unaccompanied immigrant children. At the invitation of the First Lady of Guatemala Mr. McDonald participated in two Central America Regional Child Migration Forums. One in 2013 in Antigua, Guatemala and the second in 2016 in Washington, DC.

He served as a member of the United States Department of Justice Interagency Working Group on Separated & Unaccompanied Children in 2014. Mr. McDonald earned an Associate in Arts degree from Wentworth Military Academy & College. He is the recipient of the Ted Messmore Honor Graduate Award, Wentworth’s highest award.

Mr. McDonald was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree from Central Missouri State College and a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University School of Social Work. Katharine Laud’s path has combined finance and non-profit management to provide opportunities to under-served communities, including women, minorities, immigrants and people of color for wealth creation.

Ms. Laud is currently the President of Opportunities Credit Union, the 11th largest credit union in Vermont, which offers innovative and affordable financial services to Vermonters. Before assuming her current position, Ms. Laud was the Associate Vice President for Finance and Administration at the University of Vermont Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to serving the university community.

She was the Chief Financial Officer of a non-profit that focused on affordable housing for low-income people. Ms. Laud has served on a number of corporate boards, including the Board of Directors for Provident Financial Services, a NYSE-trading bank holding company, a member of the Audit and Governance Committees and as Chair of the Wealth Management Committee. While serving on the Board of Directors of the First Morris Bank and Trust.

She was instrumental in the founding of the Wealth Management Division. Ms. Laud has used her extensive background in finance to build avenues to wealth creation and management for diverse and under-served communities in Vermont. She has brought corporate efficiencies to non-profit management to promote economic self-sufficiency among low-income people.

Katharine Laud earned a B. A. and an M.

B. A. at Dartmouth College.

Jeff Kelley has spent his career both in public service and in the private sector, focusing on communications, public affairs and government relations. He has worked for both the U. S.

government and the private sector in the U.S. and Europe. Most recently, Mr. Kelley served in the Obama Administration as Director of Public Affairs for the Administration for Children and Families. ACF houses programs such as refugee resettlement (ORR), Head Start, child welfare and foster care, and the nation’s family assistance program (TANF).

Mr. Kelley owned Peer Communications LLC, where he organized conferences on communications strategy for the senior public affairs executives of more than 100 Fortune 500 companies.

He worked for more than 20 years for the DuPont Company, first as executive speechwriter for the Chairman, then in several senior management roles, including more than a decade in Geneva, Switzerland, leading the company’s communications and government affairs teams in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Earlier he was press secretary to U. S.

Senator Thomas J. McIntyre (D-NH) and in the Carter Administration he was special assistant and speechwriter for Health and Human Services Secretary Patricia Roberts Harris. Mr. Kelley’s volunteer experience includes six years on the Board of Visitors of the Nelson A.

Rockefeller Center for Public Policy at Dartmouth College, a nationally acclaimed institutional home for social science research, teaching and experiential learning. In that role he has sponsored and mentored undergraduate interns working for the USCRI. He taught English as a second language at a center for immigrants in Washington, D.

C. and volunteers as a National Parks Service guide at Ford’s Theater. Mr. Kelley earned an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Kevin Bearden is an accomplished senior executive with more than 25 years of experience in strategic business growth, corporate operations and the management of large performance-based federal programs, including humanitarian solutions, cloud, cyber data analytics and intelligent automation systems. Currently, Kevin leads the humanitarian solutions portfolio at Cherokee Federal serving as Vice President.

His new organization provides influx facility wrap around and direct care services for unaccompanied children as well as refugee support services for newly arrived Afghan parolees. Mr. Bearden previously served in C-suite and other key senior executive roles at The Providencia Group (TPG), SOS International (SOSI) and General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT).

Before entering the private sector, he was a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army Signal Corp and served both on active duty as well as in the Army Reserves. Kevin is very passionate about supporting underserved and vulnerable populations.

He’s traveled both domestically and internationally as part of humanitarian missions assessing the plight of unaccompanied Eritrean minors along the Ethiopian border, he’s visited urban refugee processing centers in Nairobi Kenya and has overseen numerous domestic immigration programs supporting HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), DoS’s Bureau of Populations Refugee’s and Migration (PRM) as well as DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration and Review (EOIR).

In his spare time – Kevin volunteers and mentors aspiring young men in local DC based urban education centers. Mr. Bearden holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins.

VICE CHAIR & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR Jeffrey Metzger, an attorney who has worked in corporate, government, and private practice, brings to USCRI’s Board of Directors extensive legal expertise in ethics and compliance as well as a personal drive to serve the refugee and immigrant community.

Most recently, Mr. Metzger was Staff Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Unisys Corporation, where he was responsible for the company’s litigation, counseling the company’s government businesses, and directing the company’s federal government contracts organization. He also designed the company’s first ethics compliance program and then served as Corporate Ethics Officer.

Before coming to Unisys, Mr. Metzger served on the professional staff of the President’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Defense Management, where he was principally responsible for making recommendations on defense industry compliance issues. He also served in the Civil Division of the Department of Justice for a number of years, representing the United States in procurement fraud and government contract litigation.

Before joining Justice, he worked in private law practice in Washington, D. C. He earned a B.

A. , magna cum laude, from Amherst College, and a J. D.

from Georgetown University Law School. Helen R. Kanovsky’s distinguished career in housing began with her interest in social justice.

Ms. Kanovsky has served in the U.S. government, private sector and labor movement, bringing to USCRI’s Board of Directors a wealth of expertise and experience in housing across sectors. She currently is General