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Refugee-serving organizations team up to navigate complex challenges
Oct. 1, 2026
OMAHA, Neb. — The Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement (CIRA) has begun hosting what’s known as a Community of Practice. The practice devotes a space for any refugee-serving organization in Nebraska to meet in one place, learn from each other, and talk about challenges and best practices when navigating a complex political landscape. This includes refugees losing access to SNAP as well as losing access to Medicaid.
Advocates have said although the support refugees receive in the U.S. have diminished, the needs of new Americans have not, putting an immense amount of stress on systems meant to respond to emergencies.
CIRA Director of Social Work Monica Meier opened the meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 with a reminder of why the practice was established.
“We are in a time in which hope seems to be limited. But we are working together to make sure people are treated as humans, and afforded the right to thrive in their home,” she said.
The Community of Practice often includes sharing resources and programs that organizations offer to fill in the gaps left by others. As Meier notes, one organization can’t do everything, which is why it’s important to rely on each other to step in when they can.
“Aprendí la importancia de mantenernos informados y conectados por medio de los programas que ofrecen las organizaciones para el bienestar de nuestra salud y de la comunidad,” said attendee Perla Ochoa, a Senior Community Organizer with Heartland Workers Center.
[“I learned the importance of staying informed and connected through the programs offered by organizations for the well-being of our health and the community.”]
Restoring Dignity led the practice on that Monday. Speakers from the organization outlined multiple programs designed to empower refugees in their physical homes and in their communities. Restoring Dignity, a grassroots nonprofit with a housing focus, offers a Welcome Home program which has four subsects: Healthy Home Cleaning, Home & Fire Safety, Homeowners Maintenance, and Pathway to Financial Stability.
The practice is operated by running through the programs with the attendees as if they are going through a rapid-fire version of the classes. This is followed by alerting attendees on how to refer their own clients to the programs: another goal of the Community of Practice.
Although this meeting was led by Restoring Dignity, other meetings are led by other organizations.
“Educarnos nos fortalece, informarnos nos protege y nuestra resiliencia nos ayuda a avanzar en este gran país,” Ochoa said.
[“Educating ourselves strengthens us, informs us, protects us, and our resilience helps us move forward in this great country.”]
The next Community of Practice will take place after the midterm elections. At that point, the organizations will discuss the projected impacts from the newly-elected officials.
In 2022, Immigrant Legal Center and Refugee Empowerment Center merged, and the combined nonprofit organization is now CIRA, the Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement. Our diverse team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate legal representation, refugee services, and social work services. We take on the most complex immigration cases, resettle refugees from around the world, and ensure all clients have access to resources they need to live. Operating in 6 different offices from Council Bluffs to Scottsbluff, our team of more than 100 full-time employees helps communities welcome immigrants and refugees as they build their lives here. We assist with all forms of family and humanitarian-based immigration, and we never turn any family away due to inability to pay.
To empower immigrants and refugees to live confidently through high-quality legal representation, resettlement, and social work and to create welcoming communities through education and advocacy.
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