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Houghton College Receives Community Service Award
HOUGHTON, N.Y. – Houghton College was honored by Jericho Road Ministries and Hope Refugee Services at their inaugural fall dinner with the Community Service Award. The event was held at the Adams Mark Hotel in Buffalo, NY on November 5, 2009.
The Community Service Award was given to the college as a result of their work with Jericho Road Ministries and Hope Refugee Services. Houghton acts as the liaison with Western New York AmeriCorps to refer qualified AmeriCorps volunteer candidates to the program, as well as hosting a recruiting session on campus twice a year. Additionally, numerous Houghton service-learning students, professors and interns work with the ministries to assist in their programming. The college provides space at 318 Breckenridge, Buffalo, NY, the location of the Hope Refugee Drop-In Center and many other programs. The house has become a home for hundreds of refugees who turn to Jericho Road Ministries and Hope Refugee Services when they need help solving problems with social services, landlords, utilities, schools and countless other issues.
Jericho Road Ministries was founded in 2003 as a not-for-profit, faith-based sister organization to Jericho Road Family Practice. With over 20,000 patients, Jericho Road Family Practice has offered safety-net healthcare for low-income Buffalo communities since 1997. Jericho Road Ministries is committed to strengthen the character of families and individuals through attention to health, wellness, and education based on mutual trust, understanding and respect. Through their programs and partnerships, they address the complex roots of poverty in the community.
Hope Refugee Services was founded as a faith-based organization in August 2007 with the goal of providing additional, post-resettlement support to refugee families. Services provided to refugees in Buffalo reduce significantly about six months after arrival. For many refugees, six months is simply not enough time to learn English, much less successfully adjust to the U.S. Hope Refugee Services is dedicated to helping refugees become contributing members of their community by empowering them to overcome persistent economic, educational, health and cultural barriers.
Houghton College appreciates this recognition and will continue to support the work being done to assist refugees and low-income families throughout the Western New York community.
