International Institute Rhode Island

Providing high quality educational, legal and social services to immigrants and refugees throughout Rhode Island as well as a full range of interpreting and translating services and cultural training programs.

Rhode Island Citizenship Consortium

Launches Program to Reach Underserved Immigrant Groups

NewCitizens

The RI Citizenship Consortium founded in 1996, has received a federal grant to help more permanent legal residents become U.S. Citizens. The Consortium includes five non-profit agencies-- Progreso Latino, Diocese of Providence, Genesis Center, IIRI, and RI Family Literacy Initiative – all with the organizational experience, skills, and language capacity necessary to serve a diverse population.

Outreach is focused on refugees, asylees, elderly legal permanent residents, and immigrants with legal permanent residence granted under the Violence Against Women Act, Victims of Criminal Acts, and Victims of Human Trafficking. Services include ESL and citizenship classes, citizenship application and preparation assistance, free workshops, resource materials, and social services.

More information on the Consortium and how to access services here.

Home Across Lands: a documentary film

Be inspired by the story of a group of Kumanan refugees from a refugee camp in Ethiopia and their complex journey to a new home here in Providence with the help of IIRI resettlement staff and volunteers.

Home Across Lands now available on DVD!

Purchase a DVD of the film or learn more about the movie. If you would like to have this one hour documentary shown at your organization, please contact Mary Ellen Lynch at melynch@iiri.org.

Watch the 7 minute trailer of Home Across Lands.

a Devlo Media/Visionwink Films co-production

IIRI in the News

06/27/10 Bad Breaks, Good People, A New Start

06/09/10 No End of Troubles: Fire Displaces Three Refugee Families

05/29/10 Bill Shuey Op-Ed on Proposed RI Immigration Legislation

03/14/10 RI Gets Ready for the Census

02/19/10 IIRI Students and Staff Raise Money for Haitian Disaster Relief

01/23/10 Legal Assistance for Haitians Available at IIRI

12/03/09 IIRI & Citizenship Consortium Get a Boost to Help Immigrants (NBC News video)

11/02/09 Church Leaders Urging Welcome of Immigrants

08/06/09 Musicians from Sierra Leone, Liberia Reunite for Providence Concert