New Americans Program

Working closely with Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and local faith organizations, Lutheran Services Carolinas welcomes refugees and immigrants and helps them transition into a new life and a new culture through its New Americans Program. Our programs in North Carolina are based in Asheville, Raleigh, and Salisbury, and in South Carolina in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Myrtle Beach.

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Who are refugees?

Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their home country due to a well-founded fear of persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.

Today there are 15.2 million people worldwide who have been forced to flee their home countries and live as refugees in a foreign land. Millions more are displaced internally within their own country. Many are forced to live for years in overcrowded refugee camps where they must struggle daily to meet their basic needs. Those who are not able to reach the protection of a camp must live in unstable and dangerous conditions, moving often from place to place to avoid danger. All are in need of a safe place to call home.

How does refugee resettlement work?

The U.S. Government determines the admission ceiling for refugees annually.

A person may be referred by the United Nations for the High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.S. embassy, or by a relative who is currently living in the United States. Candidates must be interviewed and screened by the Department of Homeland Security Bureau of Citizenship and by Immigration Services. Once a refugee is approved for admission they are allocated to one of 10 national U.S. voluntary resettlement agencies.

New Arrivals

All refugees are automatically enrolled in the Reception and Placement Program. This program is designed to help new arrivals become acclimated to life in the United States. LSC case managers work with families and co-sponsoring organizations to:

  • Arrange housing
  • Facilitate access to social services and public benefits
  • Arrange health screenings and access to health care
  • Assist with school enrollment
  • Provide cultural education and self-sufficiency planning
  • Assist with communication needs
  • Provide support and welcome to all clients

LSC also ensures that all newly arrived refugees have access to English language classes or to one-on-one tutoring to help them acquire the necessary language skills they need to thrive in their new home.

Employment Services

Obtaining stable employment in the United States is one of the most critical steps a newly-arrived refugee must take on their path toward self-sufficiency. The LSC job development teams work hard to assist refugees and asylees find employment through skills assessments, job placement, job upgrade support, interpretation support, documentation support, employment and skills trainings, and on-going follow-up and support for both the employer and the employee.

In North Carolina, call (919) 832-2620
or Email [email protected]

In South Carolina, call (803) 750-9917
or Email [email protected]

We appreciate the organizations who generously support our refugee and immigrant clients.

Help LSC provide refuge to people from across the world.

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