Glossary of Agencies

National/International Agencies:
UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the UNs refugee office.
USCIS: United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the US Department of
Homeland Security. This is the agency that awards green cards and citizenship.
IOM: International Organization of Migration. This organization loans money to refugees so
they can travel to the United States and other resettlement countries.
ORR: Office of Refugee Resettlement, a sub-division of the US Department of Health and
Human Services. This is the federal program that oversees refugee resettlement in the United
States.
USCCB: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This organization helps determine
where refugees are placed in the US. This organization also gives refugees a certain amount of
money to survive the first three months.
DOS: Department of State, a funding source for the program.
DHS: Department of Homeland Security. Conduct screenings for refugee arrivals and refugees
need to keep their addresses updated with them.
In Anchorage:
CSS: Catholic Social Services. Our main office is located at 3710 E 20th Avenue. This is where
you will find the St. Francis House food pantry and clothing room, Pregnancy Support and
Services, and Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services.
RAIS: Refugee Assistance and Immigration Services. We are a Catholic Social Services
program and the refugee placement program for the entire state of Alaska.
DPA: Department of Public Assistance. This is the government agency that provides food
stamps (the Quest card), cash assistance, and Medicaid.
DHHS: Department of Health and Human Services. This agency has a clinic located downtown
where we take refugees for tuberculosis screening and immunizations.

WIC: A federally-funded health and nutrition program for women, infants, and children. Offices
are located at the Department of Health and Human Services.
ASD: Anchorage School District. Shirley Greeninger is ASDs Refugee Liaison.
Headstart: A federal program that offers daycare and preschool classes for low-income families.
SSA: Social Security Administration. Their office is located in the Federal Building Annex.
This is where refugees apply for Social Security cards.
TANF: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Refugee families with children under 18
receiving cash assistance through this program.
Lifeline: A GCI program that allows low-income families to get affordable cell phone plans.
Refugees will receive their Lifeline cell phone after 3-5 weeks of living in Alaska.
Alaska Housing: A government program that provides income-based housing for low-income
families. There is usually a waiting list for these apartment buildings and families with special
circumstances are given top priority (single-parent families, homeless families, etc.).
Alaska Literacy Program: A nonprofit that provides literacy services to Anchorage residents
through the use of volunteer teachers and tutors who work one-on-one or in a classroom setting
teaching reading, writing and speaking English to over 1000 adults a year,
Ninestar: A nonprofit that offers English classes for beginning to advanced ESL students.

Internet Resources
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www.unhcr.org
www.refugees.org
www.higheradvantage.org
www.cal.org
www.brycs.org
http://www.culturalorientation.net/

7. http://innovation.unhcr.org/15-ted-talks-on-refugee-resilience/