About PARA
Location:
901 Eastern Ave
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
Directions/Map
Phone number:
616.224.7540 (front desk)
(additional phone numbers on the Contacts page)
Agency Mission:
PARA works to link refugees with church sponsors, individual volunteers, service providers, and other community resources to help them in their assimilation and adjustment to their new home.
Services Provided:
We at PARA help to provide sponsors for refugees who come alone and reunite those who come to America to be with their family. We also work with Lutheran Social Services to provide our clients with job training and job search resources. We provide a number of "Clubs" to help clients adjust to American culture, as well , including Joint Cultural Orientation and Job Club.
In addition, we work closely with clients to help them to become self-sufficient and confident living on their own. PARA works to help clients both directly and indirectly. Everyday, there is a caseworker driving somone to a job interview, or visiting them in their new homes to be sure that everything is doing well. But we also work on their behalf, from working with churches to sponsor clients, to filing forms to help family members who are still in harm's way overseas and recruting help from the community in a number of different ways.
