RIVER EAST RESETTLEMENT ALLIANCE

We are the River East Refugee Alliance (RERA), a community of volunteers located in Connecticut (mostly east of the Connecticut River with members from the towns of Glastonbury, East Hartford, Colchester, Gilead, Hebron, Manchester, and Hartford) who have come together for the purpose of supporting a refugee or immigrant family resettle in our area... RERA is applying to be a co-sponsor group of IRIS(Integrated Refugee & Immigration Services), a CT-based resettlement organization established in 1992. IRIS partners with community groups throughout Connecticut to help refugee families restart their lives in towns across the state. IRIS is responsible for many family resettlements with their own staff but cannot manage the large numbers coming to CT at this time. They have established the co-sponsorship model where they partner with community group volunteers throughout the state, like ours. IRIS provides structure and guidance, but each community group is responsible for raising the..