Refugee Foster Care

Foster families provide a safe, nurturing and stable environment for these refugee youth who do not have parents or adults who can provide care. They welcome the youth into their home and family, providing the same love and guidance as they would their biological children. Families that foster a child are paid a stipend by the agency to help offset the costs associated with fostering, such as having an additional person in the household.

Tutoring

Tutors help youth in refugee foster care succeed in a new educational system and develop positive study habits. Tutors must have a bachelor’s degree in any field of study and may work with one youth or several.

Host Homes (Rent a Room)

Host homes rent a room to youth who no longer need the extra guidance of a foster family, but are not ready to be entirely on their own. Unlike families fostering refugees, host families are not legally responsible for the youth in their home, but provide guidance and help teach skills necessary for successful independence, like cooking, budgeting, and maintaining a household. Host homes are paid monthly rent by the youth, negotiated before a youth moves into the home.

Mentoring

Mentors are volunteers who build a relationship of unconditional caring and friendship to help refugee youth learn independent living and social skills. As positive role models, mentors share their knowledge and experience to help the youth adjust to differences they experience in the United States. Mentors also help them explore educational and career choices. If you're interested in becoming a mentor, please fill out this application and send your completed form to smann@samaritas.org

Transitional Foster Care

If you are interested in fostering refugees but would prefer shorter-term placements or working with younger youth, consider transitional foster care. Transitional foster homes offer short-term care for youth who have crossed the US border in hopes of being united with a family member living in the United States. Most of these children are Spanish-speaking and between the ages of 5 and 13 years old. These placements are usually shorter than 45 days, during which time our agency works to locate the child’s parents or other family members for unification. Transitional foster parents must meet requirements for foster parent licensing and training set by the State of Michigan .