Rocket Companies® partners with Samaritas™ to support Detroit Refugee Network

Everything begins with home. It’s not only a roof over your head, but a place to feel safe and also a space to call your own. At Rocket Companies, home is central to everything we do.

So when Samaritas, the Detroit-based health and human services nonprofit that runs Michigan’s largest refugee resettlement program announced the launch of the Detroit Refugee Network (DRN), we saw an opportunity to use our knowledge and people power to assist these newcomers in making Detroit their home.

Helping with housing

When you’re new to the country and trying to find a place to live, there’s a lot that goes into it. It’s not a problem that you can just throw money at. It requires people with very particular sets of skills to bring to bear on the problem.

In that spirit, the Rocket Community Fund has made a $750,000 in-kind donation. Rather than just spending money and calling it a day, for the next 9 months, 7 Rocket team members will work within the DRN. They’ll bring their talents to the network in the following areas:

• Identifying and obtaining housing opportunities
• Managing landlord relationships
• Watching for leads on housing inventory
• Move-in coordination

A holistic approach

Housing is a great starting point, but DRN is also committed to helping with several of the pieces of the puzzle that come with starting over in a new country. These include:

• Education
• Transportation
• Legal support services
• English as a second language (ESL) learning opportunities
• Utility assistance
• Employment services

Once refugees have been settled into stable housing, our team members will be helping with job placement efforts. Employment is key to long-term success.

Taken together, these resources and supports are aimed at helping DRN refugees, who come from Afghanistan and other nations, to thrive in their new home.

Laura Grannemann, Vice President of the Rocket Community Fund, said that this fills an important need.

“We are committed to providing lasting and sustainable housing for all Detroit residents, including those refugees who now call our city home,” she said. “The Detroit Refugee Network is a critical initiative that provides support to those who need it most, and we are proud to be providing Samaritas and its partners with the talent they need to fulfill this urgent mission.”

We’re very appreciative of the opportunity to help Samaritas with this necessary work. We wouldn’t be able to participate without the can-do attitude of our team members.