Established at Jubilee House in the fall of 2005, the Refugee Assistance Center offers a variety of outreach services to refugees under the direction of Jody Putnam.  Jody has extensive knowledge of the needs of refugees, as well as several years of experience in working directly with refugee populations who have recently been resettled in Hartford from Somalia, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Burma, and Burundi.  In 2007, a three-year grant was awarded to Jubilee House by the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to further the Center’s post-resettlement work in the city.  If you would like information about the program itself or the volunteer opportunities it offers, please contact Jody or  Sister Maris Stella at 247-3030.

In 2007, Jubilee House began Straight Ahead a collaborative program with Tabor House, a residential ministry for persons living with HIV/AIDS, located in Hartford and also sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph.  Recognizing the need for programs and activities that would enrich the lives of the men and women in Tabor House I and II, their director, Sister Marjorie Fish, submitted applications for grants that would fund a program of study for Tabor House, as well as for two other residential programs: Mercy Housing, and Peter’s Retreat.  Through the grant awards, Jubilee House was invited to collaborate by providing classroom space and a computer lab.  Classes are offered on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:15 to 4:15 on a semester basis.  This semester, students are learning computer skills and life skills that will be valuable in obtaining employment.  Since the program is unique in the city, eligible persons from other programs are being invited to participate, and Sister Paula Vaghi, Student Contact for the program, is explaining the program and encouraging enrollment in visits to additional sites.