Kentucky Refugee Ministries

Mission
The Family Center provides cultural orientation sessions, ESL classes, therapeutic support services and emergency relief for recently-arrived refugee women, while offering childcare for their infants and toddlers who are not yet old enough to be enrolled in school.

Cultural orientation sessions cover topics critical to life in the United States, such as language, safety, school- and medical-related issues, financial literacy, culture of jobs, transportation, etc.  During these sessions, infants and toddlers spend time with volunteers and KRM staff learning the basic building blocks that lead to success in schools, such as singing, reading, coloring, learning letters and numbers and playing with others.

The Family Center also strives to meet the needs of families when unforeseen circumstances present new hardships.  For families facing increased financial strain due to medical issues, employment difficulties, natural disasters and other concerns, KRM’s Family Center offers as-needed assistance in the form of food, clothing and child-related needs.

Where is the Family Center located?
The Family Center is located in Highland Baptist Church, on the corner of Grinstead Dr. and Cherokee Rd., just one block from Bardstown Rd. in the Highlands

Hours of Operation
The Family Center programs are offered to women and children on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00am to 12:00pm.  The Family Center follows Jefferson County Public Schools for school closings; if JCPS is closed, the Family Center will not be open.

Donation Items Needed
The Family Center needs many items for use during regular programs, and for the emergency relief pantry, which helps sustain families during periods of unexpected unemployment, inclement weather conditions, and so forth.

The Family Center generates no income; in addition to the list of always-needed suggested donation items below, monetary donations are always a great way to help the Family Center.  Checks can be made out to Kentucky Refugee Ministries, with a memo line or earmark for the Family Center.

        ·        Diapers and Pull-Ups of all sizes
·        Baby wipes
·        Construction paper, coloring books, poster board
·        Crayons, markers, pencils
·        Sippy cups with lids
·        Snack items with a long shelf life (animal crackers, raisins, etc.)
·        Books and flash cards
·        Shoes and coats of all sizes for both children and women
·        Bags of rice
·        Bags or cans of beans
·        Cans of vegetables and fruit
·        Cans of soup and soup stock
·        Gift cards to grocery stores

How Can You Help?
Since the ultimate goal of our agency is the self-sufficiency of our clients, volunteers are an indispensable part of the collective resettlement process.  The KRM staff can only provide the essentials, while our dedicated volunteers further ease the difficult transition to a new culture and lifestyle.

The Family Center is always in need of donations and volunteers to make sure families’ needs are met.  Family Center volunteers can help women learn English, role play with them during cultural orientation sessions, lead sessions in areas of particular expertise or help provide childcare for infants and toddlers during Family Center hours. 

For more information about the Family Center, please contact Anna McQuere at (502) 479-9180, ext. 24 or at amcquere@kyrm.org.

For information about volunteering at the Family Center, please contact Cassie Kennedy, Volunteer Coordinator, at (502) 479-9180, ext. 53, volunteer@kyrm.org or visit our volunteers page on this website.