These words from Paul Wellstone are written in 11 languages in the main hall of Neighborhood House’s Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building.
Frewoine Nerea (left), Ann Rajkowski MSW student (center) and Asha Mohamud (right)
Currently 2 of our MSW Child Welfare scholars are working with and learning more about families coming to the Twin Cities as new immigrants and refugees through the work done at Neighborhood House. These experiences will help shape and inform their child welfare practice as they move into work with this population in their county child welfare field placements next year.
The mission of Neighborhood House is to help people, families, and organizations develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to thrive in diverse communities, since 1897. The organization has been in existence for over 110 years and serves a diverse range of families. According to Neighborhood House’s website, they are:
“a vibrant, thriving organization serving immigrants, refugees and low-income populations in need of a helping hand. Multi- lingual and multi-cultural, the organization serves people from around the world, who relocate to Minnesota seeking a better life for themselves and their families. In a comprehensive effort to break the cycle of poverty, Neighborhood House operates diverse programs that work together to stabilize lives.”
Our students are involved in several of the programs at Neighborhood House that address families basic needs, assist in collaborating with other systems and services, and work towards helping families integrate into the community.
Arielle Johnson (left), Annie Patnode MSW student (center), and Mike Herndon (right)