LGBTQ Refugee Services
LGBTQ refugees are often exposed or turned in to the police by family or community members, putting them in grave danger and forcing them to flee their homes with very short notice. Many become victims of violence, torture, and rape.
JFCS East Bay is one of the leading organization in the United States resettling lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex refugees. JFCS East Bay’s LGBTQ Refugee Services program provides comprehensive resettlement services for those who have obtained refugee status through the United Nations to come to the United States.
Most of these refugees come from Africa and the Middle East, with asylees arriving from Latin America and the former Soviet Union. Unlike other refugees, LGBTQ individuals typically arrive in the country completely alone and often require personalized services to start their new lives.
JFCS East Bay case managers are specifically trained to meet the complex needs of this unique and vulnerable population. Our multilingual, multicultural staff members provide services in many languages.
For refugees we resettle, JFCS East Bay’s LGBTQ Refugee Services include:
- Support with the migration process
- Assistance with transitional housing
- Help enrolling in benefits programs
- Assistance navigating the health care system
Providing referrals to local services - Providing referrals to counseling and mental health services
- Assistance finding educational and vocational resources
- Outreach to LGBTQ social and cultural groups
- Volunteer support with social integration, life skills, and learning English
Volunteers are key to providing care.
When new LGBTQ refugees arrive in the United States, JFCS East Bay is ready with trained volunteers who provide extensive support for each person. Information about volunteering can be found here.
