Communities In Schools of Columbus
Taageer Guusha Ardayga!
June 2000, Guddoomiyihii hore ee Gobolkan Ohio Taft ayaa wuxuu saxiixay sharciga lambarkiisu yahay 181, kaasoo ah goo-goysnimada iskuulka. Sharcigani wuxuu qeexayaa  caadaysiga goo-goysnimada ilmaha ay khasabka ku tahay in uu iskuul dhigtaa, ee iskuulka ka maqnaada mudo shan maalmood ah cudur-daar la’aan, ama in ka badan todobo maalmood bishii ama 12 iyo in ka badan inta iskuulku furan yahay sannadkii. Wuxuu sharcigu sidoo kale qeexayaa googoysnimada isdaba jooga ah ee ilmaha ay khasabka ku tahay in uu iskuul dhigto, waa marka uu ilmuhu si sharci daro ah iskuulka uga maqnaado todobo maalmood iyo in ka badan maalmaha iskuulka, toban maalmood iyo in ka badan bishii, ama 15 iyo in ka badan maalmaha iskuulka sannadkii.             
Guddoomiyaha cusub ee Gobolka Ohio, Ted Strickland, waxaa uu dhawaan ku soo biiray ururada kale iyaga oo wada taageeraya barnaamijka la magac baxay “Supporting Student Success in Ohio” oo ah mid la doonayo in lagu caawiyo ardayda iskuulada ee reer Ohio,  kaa soo la doonayo in lagu horumariyo sidii ardaydu ugu sugnaan lahaayeen iskuuladooda oo loo yarayn lahaa goo-goysnimadooda.
Mid ka mid ah dadkii iyagu halkaas ka qudbaynayay, Dr. Hal Lawson, ayaa waxaa uu soo qaatay dhowr asbaabood oo run ahaantii inaga mudan in aynu si feejignaan leh ugu dhabo galno, taasoo ay dhacdo in ay saamayn toos ah ku yeelan karto ardayda Soomaalida ah Ardayda aan sida fiican ugu hadlin Luuqada Ingiriiska Ardayda ay waxbarashadoodu hoosayso, ama dib uga dhaca fasalkooda Ardayda goo-goyska ah Ardayda lagu hayo edeb xumida, oo ay ku jirto in iskuulka laga cayrsho Ardayda aan sida joogtada ah uga soo shaqayn leylisyadooda
    Haddii ay jirto in ilmahaagu leeyahay mid ka mid ah asbaabtaas aan kor ku soo sheegnay – amaba ay jiraan kuwo kale oo aad ahmiyad siinayso – fadlan si dhakhso ah ula xiriir iskuulka ilmahaagu dhigto, balanna ka samayso la taliyaha carruurta ee u shaqeeya iskuulka. 
Waxaad adiga iyo qofkaasi ka munaaqashoon kartaan qaabka aad ku xallin lahaydeen dhibaatadaas si ilmahaagu u noqdo mid ku najaxa waxbarashadiisa, oo uusan u noqon mid ku saaqida iskuulka. Layeelo xiriir iskuulka si aad u xaqiijiso in ilmahaagu uu hayo wadada saxa ah ee uu ku qalin jabin kari lahaa.
Hodan Khalif, oo u shaqaysa Community in Schools, ayaa waxaa ay diyaar kuula tahay in ay kaa caawiso sidii aad kulan ula yeelan kari lahayd iskuulka. Fadlan ka wac taleefanka 614-268-2472 Ext. 16 ama kula xiriir emailka: hkhalif@ciskids.org.

Columbus City Schools:
 
Iskuulaadka Columbus waxaa la xiri doonaa nuse-saac ka hor xiligii la xiri jiray 19 Diiseembar xiliga fasaxa Winter ka, iskuulkana lagu soo noqon maayo ilaa iyo bisha Janaayo 5teeda, 2009 ka. 
Iskuul ma jiro maalinta Isniinta, Janaayo 19, taasoo ah maalinta dabaal daga Martin Luther King Jr.

If your child has any of the above issues – or others that you are concerned about – please contact the school immediately and make an appointment with the guidance counselor. Together you can discuss ways that a support system can be set up to enable your child to succeed, not fail, in school. Connect with the school to be sure your child is on track to graduate. Hodan Khalif, School Resource Coordinator for Communities In Schools, is available to assist you in setting up meetings with school personnel. Please call her at 614.268.2472, extension 16 or e-mail at hkhalif@ciskids.org.

Columbus City Schools:

Schools close 1⁄2 hour early on December 19 for Winter Recess and students do not return to school until January 5, 2009.
No school on Monday, January 19, 2009 in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

ADAMH launches Somali Video Project at Annual Meeting
By WILSON DIZARD
Today’s world is a stressful one. Work, family, and school can cause stress and tension. For some Somalis who have escaped war and famine, the traumatic experiences of their past still remain as a cause of stress and discomfort.

Some of these people face the risk of developing serious mental health issues or even problems with drug abuse. The Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, also known as ADAMH, is making a film to inform and educate Somalis who suffer from mental health issues or drug abuse problems. The effort is called the Somali Video Project.

ADAMH is working with Olol Films, a Somali-owned production company, to produce the film. Olol films produced such popular pictures as ‘’Rajo’’ and ‘’Gabar Haloo Doono.” The 15 minute long film features advice from medical professionals about treatment options for people with mental health or drug abuse problems, as well as information on how to access resources at ADAMH.

Much of the film is also in Somali to help clarify the issue as much as possible for the Somali community.
“The video talks about stress, social isolation and how people can overcome some of these problems,” Kevin Dixon, Vice President of Cultural Competency at ADAMH, said. Cultural Competency is a part of ADAMH that works to explain behavioral health and substance abuse issues in a way that is appropriate for the different communities and cultures in Columbus.
“Our system of care is utilizing a variety of methods to ensure that the needs of culturally diverse citizens are addressed appropriately,” Dixon said that Somalis who have immigrated to the United States are at risk for developing a number of mental health issues.

One illness that af flicts Somalis is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dixon said. Many Somalis suffered terrible tragedies and hardships during the civil war.
Though these wounds from the war don’t leave scars on skin, they can cause significant pain and discomfort. Nightmares, flashbacks, unwillingness totalk about the traumatic event, as well as difficulties interacting socially can be some of the symptoms of PTSD .

“Treating Somalis who have PTSD is one of ADAMH’s top priorities”, Dixon. ADAMH will be showing the Somali Video Project at their Annual Meeting at 5:30 PM on December 9th, 2008. ADAMH will hold the meeting and the film showing at Columbus State University’s Center for Workforce Development at 315 Cleveland Ave.

Think Safe, Be Safe:
Fire Prevention Tips for Parents and Children
Fires and burns are leading cause of accidental home injury and related deaths for children, according to research by the Home Safety Council. Fire safety and survival begin with everyone in your household being prepared.   Parents are urged to follow these safety suggestions, which are provided by the Home Safety Council, to reduce the chance of fire in your home.

Prevent Fires Caused by Cooking: Always stay in the kitchen while cooking. Keep things that can burn, such as dishtowels, paper or plastic bags, and curtains at least three feet away from the range top. Before cooking, roll up sleeves and use oven mitts. Loose-fitting clothes can touch a hot burner and catch on fire.
Prevent Fires Caused by Heating: Keep matches and lighters in a locked cabinet.  Keep space heaters at least three feet away from things that can burn, such as curtains or stacks of newspaper. Always turn off heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.  Have a service person inspect chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves and central furnaces once a year. Have them cleaned when necessary.  Keep things that can burn away from your fireplace and keep a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace.

Prevent Fires Caused by Candles: Never leave burning candles unattended. Do not allow children to keep candles or incense in their rooms.  Always use stable, candle holders made of material that won’t catch fire, such as metal, glass, etc.  Blow out candles when adults leave the room.

Prevent Fires Caused by Gasoline and Other Products: Store gasoline in a garage or shed in a container approved for gasoline storage.  Never bring or use gasoline indoors; and use it as a motor fuel only.  Close the lid on all dangerous products and put them away after using them. Store them away from the home and in a safe place with a lock.  Don’t plug in too many appliances at once.

Make a fire escape plan for your family.  Find two exits out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside. Practice makes perfect – hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.  Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. For the best protection, install both ionization- and photoelectric-type smoke alarms. Some models provide dual coverage. The type will be printed on the box or package.

Put them inside or near every bedroom. Test them monthly to make sure they work. Put in new batteries once a year.  Know how to put out a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames.  Teach every family member to “Stop, Drop and Roll” if clothes catch fire.  Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher.

If you have a fire in your home, get out of the home, and stay out.  Call 9-1-1 to report the fire AFTER you are outside.  Do not go back inside for any reason. This information is from the Home Safety Council, and is provided by Somali Link for the safety of families and children in the Somali Community.

Summer Interns
By DR. DOUG RUTLEDGE
On December 3, the 2008 Youth Workforce Connection Event was held in the municipal building at 1111 East Broad Street. The goal of this meeting was to connect young people with businesses to establish interning and mentoring relationships.

The event was sponsored by The Central Ohio Workforce Investment Corporation/JobLeaders (COWIC), of which Suzanne Coleman-Tolbert is the President and CEO. There are few agencies in the state of Ohio that are very supportive and really want to help the immigrant communities and COWIC is the first, said Mahdi Taakilo. COWIC is designed to promote job experience for young people in Central Ohio. It also helps businesses by providing labor through internships and a trained labor force that has graduated from these programs. According to President Coleman-Tolbert, this can be a challenge during difficult economic times when businesses are being forced to lay-off the employees they already have.

Such a program would seem on the face of it to be of immediate benefit for Somali young people. Indeed COWIC sponsors the journalism summer program run by H.A.N.D., which taught 101 for this year and 62 Somali high school students the tricks of the journalism trade last year. Clearly, this is a wonderful program. This leads to the question of how such a program could meet the needs of the most vulnerable of Somali young adults. I asked President Coleman-Tolbert about how such a program might be geared to Somali children, who came to Central Ohio as teenagers, who were then placed according to age rather than academic achievement.

Many Somali parents and children express frustration when teenagers are placed in an academic environment before they have the skills to succeed. She noted that COWIC in conjunction with certain vendors test for attainment skills.

When I asked Council Woman Charleta Tavares the same question, she admitted that civic organizations were not really dealing with the issue of under-prepared immigrant youth. They were largely leaving this problem up to the Somali organizations themselves, and as she pointed out, those organizations are already overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, according to President Coleman, COWIC is working hard to respect members of immigrant communities. Indeed, at the moment, COWIC is in the process of hiring a staff member from the horn of Africa. Moreover, as Council Woman Tavares indicates, there are good reasons for employers to choose a Somali intern. After all, such an intern would help retailers understand and cater too Somali customers.  As Ms. Tavares said during her speech, if businesses are not going to hire interns for altruistic reasons, they should hire them for the selfish reasons, and as she points out immigrant interns have a lot to offer local businesses, because employers and businesses need to understand the culture of their customers and clearly, the fastest growing populations in Central Ohio are Somali and Hispanic.

COWIC summer programs certainly managed to place a good deal of young people in interesting jobs this year. In 2008, the summer youth participants were employed by 187 businesses.  The average salary was $7.00 an hour. Young folks worked with Veterinarians, Dentists, Librarians and Landscape Artists. And 98% of the young people, who worked in the program, rated it as being good to excellent, so clearly the kids who participated, thought it was worthwhile.  Nevertheless, one question remains: how can the city help immigrant children learn a trade who have not yet developed the skills they need to participate in the larger culture?

Fatuma was seven months pregnant when she was beaten by one black man and four white women who lived in her apartment complex. When she needed to be taken to the prosecutor’s office, someone from ARECS took her downtown and guided her through the process. Howa finds herself in this country alone, so when she was in the hospital, she had no one to advocate for her. Therefore, when she felt she needed someone to speak to her doctors during her period of distress, she turned to ARECS. In a very real way, ARECS acts as a diplomatic intermediary, an educator and a translator for East African Refugees on the North West side of Columbus. To that end, ARECS offers a number of cultural and educational services. It offers 3 levels of ESL courses; it offers job training, after school programs, and it offers cultural assistance and translation services. Abdikarim Hade and Mohamed Ahmed Egal, the President and Vice President of ARECS respectively run the organization in such a way as to fill the needs of the members of the community as those needs arise. Mohamed Egal says that ARECS “works as a bridge between the main American community and this new, refugee community.” According to Egal, ARECS begins helping recent refugees as soon as they arrive.

They help refugees find housing, and they advocate for them at the welfare office. Indeed, ARECS partners with Franklin County Job and Family Services in order to ensure that recent refugees have all of the services they might require. Once people have a home and support from Franklin County, ARECS prepares people for work through language and job training. They also help people fill out applications. Invariably refugees are asked for recent work experience, even though they might have been taking ESL classes for the last two years, and before that they may have spent a decade or more in a refugee camp. However, ARECS goes to potential employers and advocates for them. They ask potential employers to appreciate the fact that Somali refugees want to work hard and that they have been training to work. Because they are new to America, they do not have work experience here, but they have work experience in Somalia, they have life experience, and they are driven to work in ways that may surprise mainstream Americans.
As Egal points out, ARECS services do not stop with the adults.

They also offer after school programs that help bring refugee children up to grade level. It is important to realize that refugee children are placed in American schools according to their age, not their intellectual achievement. As Somalia has been consumed by civil war since 1991, and as many of the children have grown up in refugee camps, their educational opportunities have been small. Therefore, it is imperative that after school programs work to bring children up to grade level. After school programs at ARECS are able to translate homework assignments, help children develop language skills, assist with homework and engage in step-by-step training designed to bring refugee children up to grade level. This is very important if children are not to become alienated from their parents, the school system and their adopted society. Young people who feel as if they have a chance to succeed in their new environment will not only thrive they will struggle to support their adopted culture. ARECS works hard to insure that the life stories of refugee children end happily. People who wish to contact ARECS should call 614-272-8545 or go to 3800 Sullivant Avenue, suites B-C, Columbus, Ohio 43228.

On the northeast side of Columbus, the Somali Community Association of Ohio, which is run by it President, Hassan Omar, offers many services similar to those of ARECS. Mr. Omar can be reached at 614-262-4068. The offices of SCAO are located at 3422 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43224. The mission of SCAO is “to advocate and promote self-sufficiency to the whole family through employment, education, cultural and social support and economic empowerment for immigrants.” Some of the special services offered by SCAO are elder and youth programs. For elders, SCAO offers hot meals, social events and it facilitates cultural discussion, so that Somali Elders can fulfill their culturally appropriate roles. Among its youth programs, SCAO offers preschool English, after school and Saturday tutoring, adult mentors and special assistance for older and previously unschooled youth. This can be an especially important program, because children who have grown up in refugee camps have developed a set of important survival skills, which proves their intelligence. However, these are not the same skills that they need to survive in an American urban environment. Yet if they are 18 or older they cannot go to high school. Only through special services offered by organizations, such as SCAO, are young people able to learn the academic, cultural and job skills they will need to be successful in Central Ohio.

On the North East side of Columbus, the Somali and East African Communities are also served by the Somali Women’s and Children’s Alliance, which is run by Howa M. Siad. SWCA can be reached at 614-473-9999 and is located at 2210 Morse Road, Columbus, Ohio 43224. The mission of SWCA is “to equip refugees and immigrants toward self-sufficiency and to facilitate their becoming an integral part of the community.” Among the services offered by SWCA are business literacy, computer basics, cultural training, financial literacy, interpreting and consultation. SWCA also provides a service they call case management. Case management provides a wide range of services to walk in clients. Assistance under this rubric includes such things as writing letters, making phone calls and filling out job applications. Under the heading of case management SWCA also offers advocacy, legal referral and violence prevention.

The Somali Women’s and Children’s Alliance clearly does a very similar kind of work to ARECS. However, this organization also focuses on the special needs of women and children. Sometimes, women are resettled without their husbands or their families. Similarly, children can also lose their parents to war or famine. These people clearly have special needs. Also, the stresses of refugee life can be tremendous. These stresses can make women vulnerable. However, the shelters and other services offered to women in America are not always appropriate for Somali women, so Somali Women and Children’s Alliance advocates for these women. This advocacy is culturally appropriate and supports women and their children through the struggles of resettlement.

Another organization that serves Somali refugees is the Somali Documentary Project. This organization has been working for the past five years to provide a documentary history of the Somali Diaspora. SDP’s mission is both to provide this history and to educate the hosting community. In that way, this history of the Somali people also becomes an advocacy. SDP makes many presentations about Somali culture to mainstream organizations that find themselves with Somali clients, but do not know how to negotiate between the cultures. For example, SDP did a presentation at ABX-AIR, in which it explained several cultural issues that an employer might encounter. One problem ABX-AIR encountered occurred when an employer simply tried to call an employee to a workstation. What the manager did not realize is that while using the first finger to ask someone to approach might seem perfectly acceptable to Americans, it is an insult to Somalis. Moreover, Somali people often believe that looking someone straight in the eye is a sign of aggression, whereas Americans think they cannot trust people who do not look them in the eye. Shaking hands is also a sign of trust between Americans, but of course Somali people often cannot shake hands with members of the opposite sex, so after an interview with a potential Somali employee, the employer might try to shake hands, but the Somali person may withdraw. This is not a sign of disrespect. It is simply a person respecting his or her religion.

Similarly, the Somali Documentary Project made a presentation to the Ohio Supreme Court recently. The Supreme Court and the law enforcement officials associated with them did not understand the Somali Community. This misunderstanding ranged from simple things like codes of dress and needs for prayer to much more complicated issues. For example, in Somalia when a policeman approaches a car, the driver should get out to greet the policeman, but in America when that happens a person is likely to get shot. The Somali Documentary Projects continues to present Somali culture to mainstream American through presentations at shows, schools universities and other interested institutions. Its shows and its book also help mainstream Americans understand their new Somali neighbors. To reach SDP, call it executive Director, Abdi Roble at 614-440-1117. You can also contact the Somali Documentary Project through its website: www.somaliproject.org.

All of these organizations were created to provide services to the Somali community in Central Ohio, but all of them are also anxious to serve mainstream Americans, so when American employers need employees, when teachers need to understand their students, when government officials need to communicate with their constituents, they should feel free to contact any of these organizations.  All of them wish to facilitate communication between recent immigrants and mainstream Ohioans. All of them are anxious to build community in Central Ohio through the process of helping neighbors understand each other.

How to Enroll at Ohio State
By WILSON DIZARD
Attaining a university degree can improve your job prospects, broaden your horizons, and increase your knowledge of the world. For students in Columbus, The Ohio State University (OSU) offers the widest array of both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

For Somali immigrants, OSU also offers a number of services to help them enroll. Right now, there are already around 300 students of Somali descent at OSU.

To enroll at Ohio State, you need to submit an application form, several essays, and recommendations from your teachers in high school. These forms are available at www.osu.edu/futurestudentswww, where you can submit your application forms and essays online. They are also available on the OSU campus in the OSU Admissions Office in Enarson Hall on 12th Avenue between College Road and Neil Avenue. The deadline for enrollment applications for Fall Quarter 2009 is on February 2, 2009.

Students should ask their teachers in high school to send their recommendation forms by mail to OSU. Addresses and recommendation forms are available at OSU’s enrollment website.

For Somali students who may not be U.S. citizens, immigration status does not matter when you apply to OSU. Permanent residents, aslyees, and refugees are eligible to apply to OSU.

One issue for many prospective college students is the cost of tuition. For some, the cost of college can prohibit them from enrolling. And while OSU is a public school, which are usually cheaper than private ones, the cost for Ohio residents for three terms of classes (Fall, Winter, and Spring) is $8679. Remember to budget $8073 for a university dormitory room and a basic meal plan. The cost comes of an OSU education for an Ohio resident is about $16,752. Keep in mind, however, that you might save money by not living in an OSU dormitory.

Fortunately for Somali immigrants, immigration status does not matter when applying for financial aid for a college education. Permanent residents, asylees, and refugees are all eligible to apply for Federal Student Aid.
The best way to apply for Federal Aid is with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The best way to apply is by filling out the FAFSA form at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The money you receive comes from the U.S. Department of Education. Applications are also available from the college counselor at your high school or the OSU Admissions office. It is important to remember that in order to complete the FAFSA form, you will need tax return information from you and your parents.
Somali students, however, may face some difficulties when putting together their applications.

“The main issue would be lack of transcripts from their home institutions,” Marco A. Chavez, International Admissions Program Coordinator at the OSU Admissions office, said. “The institution might not exist if we can’t verify it.”

Chavez said that if a student studied at a high school outside the U.S., then sometimes transcripts can be hard to obtain from that school. One way to verify the existence of a high school abroad is through the U.S. Department of State’s ‘’EducationUSA’’ program, which helps international students enroll at U.S. colleges. You can learn more about verifying a high school abroad at www.educationusa.state.gov.

Sometimes, however, when students cannot find their transcripts, they apply to Columbus State University. After a year of studying there, OSU will accept an application for an enrollment along with proof of one year of study at Columbus State.

Another problem Somali students face is English language proficiency. OSU considers all students with a high school diploma or a year of credit from Columbus State as proficient enough in English to enroll. However, students who have been in the U.S. for less than a year must submit either a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 71 or higher or an SAT (Scholastic Achievement Test) critical reading score of 500 or higher in order to enroll at OSU.

While there are obstacles to enrollment at OSU, including documentation and financing, a college education is a valuable investment in your future.

Bangiga Faa’iidada Ohio wuxuu xiriiriyaa sidii ay u wada shaqeyn lahaayeen dadwaynaha, dowlada. Iyo ururada diimaha. Ururada diimaha ayaa la sheegay in ay ka badan yihiin 400 laamood. Riix halkan www.secure.thebenefitbank.com/ums?task=locator s aad u ogaatid waxa bangigani uu qabto ama aad u heshid macluumaad kale oo faa’iido leh.  In ka badan 700 qof ayaa ka shaqaysa bangigan. Waxayna ka how-lgalayaan 78 laamood oo bangigu Faa’iidada Ohio leeyahay. Waxay shaqaalaha bangigani dadka ka caawiyaan canshuurta celinta iyo u sheegidda bulshada lacagta taageerada iyo cuntada (food stamp or cash) ee ay xaqa u leeyihiin. Dadwaynaha deggan Ohio waxay kaloo website-kan hoos ku qoran ka helayaan kaalmo badan oo ay u baahan yihiin sida Kaarka caafimaadka, korontatada guriga, Kaarka cuntada (food stamps), iyo xanaanaynta ama haynta carruurta marka aad Iskuul dhigatid ama shaqaysid, aadna u baahan tahay cid ilmaha kuu haysa. Bangigani wuxuu kaa caawin doonaa in uu kaa baxsho lacagta cidda ilmaha kuu haynaysa. Haddii mid ka mid ah arrimaha qodobada kor ku qoran ay ku haysato, fadlan wax bangigan amase soo wax wargayska Somali Link si lagaaga caawiyo dhibaatadaada.

Illaa bilowgii howshaan, Bangiga Faa;idada Ohio wxuu caawiyey dad ka badan 1,9000 qof oo ay u soo noqotey in ka badan $26 million oo tax ah iyo caawimaado kale oo $11 million sanadkan 2008 keliya. Waxaa kaloo jiraa in lacag gaareysa $1.6 billion oo canshuur oo dadka Ohio deggan ay xaq u leeyihiin aynan raadsan, taasina ay keento in lacagtaasi dib ugu noqoto dowladda federalka.

Hadii aad u baahan tahay faahfaahin dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan canshuur celintan iyo caaiwimaadaha kale la xariir (800) 648-1176 ama Hodan Khalif shaqadeeda Communities In School 614-268-2472, Ext. 16 ama hkhalif@cskids.org.

Iskoolka waxa laa xiriyaa 1⁄2 hour kahor December 19 ilaa January 5, 2009. (Winter Break) Wixii faahfaahin a la xiriir websitekan:
www.governor.ohio.gov/obb/Home/tabid/301/Default.asp

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Columbus Somalis Receive Aid from Franklin County
Hard economic times face all Americans today. Somalis in Columbus are facing financial problems, as employers cut jobs and benefits.   Franklin County offers help to people who have become unemployed or who need food stamps or medical benefits.

Somalis sometimes face troubles getting this help, though, especially if their English language skills are not strong. In order to help Somalis and other immigrants get cash, medical benefits, or food stamps, Franklin County provides translation services for people to help guide them through the process of receiving aid.

“People can try to apply for benefits if they lose their jobs,” Abdirizak Diini said. Diini is an English to Somali translator at the Franklin County Job and Family Services center on Agler Road in North East Columbus. Diini also said that people can apply for health insurance benefits at the center. The federal government provides these benefits through a program called ‘’Medicaid.’’ The Job and Family Services Center can also help people find jobs. For Somalis who are recent immigrants to the United States, several kinds of benefits are available. Citizens, permanent residents, or refugees can receive cash for up to eight months. But after eight months, the money usually runs out.

Food stamps can be used at supermarkets to buy groceries and they never run out as long as the person receiving them qualifies. Individuals and families can also receive medical benefits indefinitely. Qualifications for these benefits are determined by the applicant’s income.

“The most common thing I’ve seen people apply for is Medicaid,” Diini said, speaking of the most common request for aid from Somalis in Columbus. Even though many Somalis still have their jobs, these jobs might not provide medical insurance. But with hard economic times, more and more Somalis are seeking help from Franklin County.

“It’s been really busy because of the economic crisis,” Diini said. “I’ve never seen it this busy before.” Diini works for C.R.I.S. (Community Refugee and Immigration Services) which Franklin County hired to provide translation services to Somalis. C.R.I.S. also provides legal services to recent Somali immigrants through its Unanticipated Arrivals Program, which helps Somali immigrants and Somalis seeking asylum in America. The program also helps immigrants from any country.

The Job and Family Services Center serving North-East Columbus is located at 3443 Agler Road. The Center is only a few blocks from Cleveland Avenue. People can reach the center at 614-428-6700. It is open from 7 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Because the Center can become too busy to take phone calls, people should visit the Center in person.

People interested in receiving legal advice and assistance from C.R.I.S. can call 614-279-1354 or visit www.cris-ohio.com.

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