On Election Night 2016, JCARR welcomed a family of five from Syria that had been living in Jordan for several years. We were all preoccupied with their arrival and not paying much attention to the election that evening. But by morning, we all knew the election results, and as one journalist said, “they arrived in one country that night and woke up to a different country the next morning.” The family had concerns about their security. The dad said, “I brought my children to America because I thought they would be safe here. Are we going to be safe here?” JCARR has worked hard to help the family develop a sense of security, and they are now thriving in school and in jobs in the New Haven Community. In Syria, Dad manufactured ducts for A/C systems for large-scale projects like shopping centers and hospitals. Now he is working to pass the GED and is thinking about a career in Accounting. Mom has created her own very successful catering business. Everyone in the family has made great progress in learning to speak English.
