Terri Morris Downs named Executive Director of Immigrant Welcome Center

The Immigrant Welcome Center, a not-for-profit program that connects immigrants to resources and services in Indianapolis, has named Terri Morris Downs as its first Executive Director. The centerpiece to the Immigrant Welcome Center is a volunteer program known as Natural Helpers. The program recruits recent immigrants to share information at a grassroots level on how to access services for basic needs, such as health care, government, transportation and employment. Natural Helpers can be anyone in the neighborhood or community who has demonstrated leadership abilities and a first-hand understanding of the challenges facing those entering a new country and community. The Immigrant Welcome Center currently has 12 Natural Helpers with home countries ranging from Mexico, Ethiopia and Venezuela to Senegal, India and Burma. Through contributions from the Efroymson Fund, a CICF fund; The Clowes Fund, Inc.; and individual donors, the Immigrant Welcome Center provides Natural Helpers with formal training on topics ranging from accessing community resources to supporting immigrants in a crisis or difficult situation. Beginning 2 January, the center will be located at 2236 East Tenth Street, Indianapolis. For more, click here.