Project Grant D22AP00096

THE MICRONESIAN RESOURCE CENTER ONE-STOP SHOP (MRCOSS) HAS QUICKLY BECOME GUAM'SPREMIER RESOURCE TO ASSIST COMPACT OF FREE ASSOCIATION (COFA) MIGRANTS AS THEY TRANSITION TO LIFEON GUAM. MULTI-LINGUAL CASEWORKERS, ALSO KNOWN AS CULTURAL MEDIATORS, ASSIST CLIENTS NAVIGATETHEIR NEW HOME BY PROVIDING ONE-TO-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONALWORKSHOPS, AND OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES AT THE PROJECT'S OFFICE AND IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITSMOBILE OFFICE. THROUGHOUT ITS 6 YEARS, THE PROJECT ATTRIBUTES MUCH OF ITS SUCCESS NOT ONLY TO ITSGRASSROOTS APPROACH OF HELPING THE COFA COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TO NUMEROUS PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVELED TO THE STREAMLINING OF PROCESSES AND SHARING OF RESOURCES.IN 2020 AND 2021, DEMAND FOR THE PROJECT'S CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE SERVICESINCREASED, AS A CONSTANT STREAM OF INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS, GOVERNMENTREGULATIONS AND EMERGING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS WERE ANNOUNCED. MANY GOVERNMENTAGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TURNED TO THE PROJECT FOR ASSISTANCE IN TRANSLATING ESSENTIALINFORMATION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES UNDERSTAND HOW TO STAY SAFE, EVERCHANGINGGOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND NEW PROGRAMS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT SAW AN INCREASE IN DEMANDFOR SERVICES FROM CLIENTS OVER THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS, ACCOUNTING FOR 41% OF THE PROJECT'S TOTALCLIENT INTAKE. CASEWORKERS ASSISTED A STEADY STREAM OF NEW AND EXISTING CLIENTS NAVIGATE EMERGINGPANDEMIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, OBTAIN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS, AND CONNECT WITH OTHER RESOURCES.ALONG WITH ONE-TO-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT, THE PROJECT CONTINUED TO DO OUTREACH THROUGH THEDISTRIBUTION OF MEALS AND FOOD COMMODITIES, DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, COVID-19 TESTINGDRIVES, AND EVENTUALLY COVID-19 VACCINATION EVENTS.AS THE WORLD CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARDS RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, MRCOSSREMAINS COMMITTED TO ASSISTING COFA MIGRANTS FIND SUCCESS IN THEIR NEW HOMELAND. THE PROJECTPROPOSES TO CONTINUE OPERATIONS WITH ITS EXPANDED TEAM TO: 1. PROVIDE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLYAPPROPRIATE ONE-TO-ONE CASE MANAGEMENT TO ASSIST CLIENTS NAVIGATE GOVERNMENT ANDNONGOVERNMENT PROGRAMS; 2. CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOPS TO ASSIST CLIENTSLEARN ABOUT LOCAL LAWS, CUSTOMS, AND RESOURCES IN THEIR NEW HOMELAND, DEVELOP SKILLS TO ASSIST THEMIN BECOMING GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, AND ESTABLISH PARENTING TECHNIQUES TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN THRIVE;3. CONDUCT WEEKLY COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS ANDFAMILIES IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE AND EXPERIENCING BARRIERS TO ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND RESOURCES; 4.PROVIDE TRANSLATED INFORMATION AND CONDUCT VIRTUAL VILLAGE MEETINGS TO KEEP COFA FAMILIESCONNECTED WITH UPDATED NEWS AND PROGRAMS; 5. COLLABORATE WITH PARTNERS THROUGH STAKEHOLDER'SFORUMS AND FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS; AND 6. PROVIDE YOUTH EMPOWERMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUTREACH ACTIVITIES AND A YOUTH INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL CONTINUE TOMONITOR AND EVALUATE ITS PROCESSES AND SERVICES TO ENSURE CLIENTS ARE ASSISTED EFFICIENTLY ANDEXPEDITIOUSLY.