Feras, his wife, and children recently arrived in the United States after fleeing Syria and living in a refugee camp for several years. Feras is a tailor and used to have his own business back home. The brutality of the civil war forced him and his family to flee their home country and start the refugee journey.
Feras was referred to Mosaic, and he was paired with a case manager who spoke Arabic, his native language. During the intake assessment, the case manager learned the family was overwhelmed with feelings of distress and hopelessness.
The case manager invited Feras and his family to join the Espresso Yourself support group to talk about the psychosocial needs of newcomers to the U.S. During a session, Feras asked many questions and felt relief knowing he found a place he could openly talk about his fears, challenges, and stress that come from starting over.
One of the family’s most significant needs was receiving their employment authorization, which had been delayed. After Feras’ case manager got involved and directly advocated for the family, they finally received work authorization.
Once Feras was able to work, the case manager focused his efforts on the client’s self-sufficiency by providing intensive services and orientations on the U.S. health system, family budgeting, money management, opening a bank account, etc. Feras also started taking ESL classes and was assisted in enrolling his kids in school. Feras was provided with all the resources that empowered him and helped him regain his confidence.
Feras soon started his first full-time job in the United States, and he was happy he could pay his monthly rent and put food on the table for his family.
As his English improved, Feras decided to chase his dream and applied for a job as a tailor at a high-end retail store. He was hired with a well-paid hourly rate and is now one step closer to his dream of opening his own business.
“I could only achieve my dream job because of the help and support that Mosaic has provided. My family and I have learned a lot from our case manager, and he delivered a great message about humanity. His time, energy, and smile meant a lot to us. I am very grateful for everything I have and for having Mosaic in our community to support those in need.”
