Spotlight February 2025

IIB would not be able to make WNY a better place for, and because of, immigrants and refugees were it not for our team, the community, and those we serve.

A special shout out to the people from The Refugee Partnership (TRP) agencies. TRP is a collaborative effort of the five Buffalo nonprofits serving refugees and immigrants. Along with IIB, Catholic Charities of Buffalo, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Jewish Family Services of WNY, and Journey’s End Refugee Services work together to serve foreign-born people who make WNY home.   

When the new administration moved into the White House, it suspended the program that resettles refugees and stopped all payments for the integration work TRP organizations contracted to complete or were in the process of completing. The partnership created a crisis response fund, asking the community to help with the shortfall. Further, we continue to work together to make sure the needs of these recently resettled refugees are met, even though the federal government broke its promise to support them.

Click here to learn more about this situation.

Click here to give to The Refugee Partnership Crisis Response Fund.

Ligia Hubert - Spanish and Portuguese interpreter

Ligia was born and raised in Guatemala. She and her siblings learned to speak English at the behest of their mom, who always wanted to learn it. She graduated high school with a bilingual diploma. After that, she continued to learn English to prepare for the TOEFL test. TOFEL is a standardized test that measures the English communication skills of non-native English speakers. Her love of languages drove her to learn Portuguese, and she is currently learning Japanese.

When she came to live in the United States, Ligia wanted to speak the language more than with her family, so she volunteered at places where translation was needed, which developed into her current position as one of our interpreters. Aside from interpreting, she is an accomplished graphic designer.

In her spare time, she loves bike riding, hiking, travel, and visiting the library.

If you would like to be a translator or interpreter to help many of our many clients with language access, please click here.

Atlas

This noble hound is the companion of Petr Venkov, our office manager. Atas is an AKC registered purebred European Doberman Pinscher and keeps a watchful eye when he visits our campus. 

Kudos to the University at Buffalo, which recently hired six of our Employment Services clients. The clients originally hailed from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. After they graduated from our Job Club, which teaches them how to excel as employees in the American workplace, the university hired them as janitors.

Click here to learn more about how we can help augment your organization's workforce with highly motivated employees.   

Good Neighbors Credit Union

Thanks to folks from Good Neighbors Credit Union (GNCU) (pictured above) who helped to organize our warehouse space and sort the many items our community generously donated to newly arrived refugees! IIB and GNCU have collaborated for many years, including helping us with our financial literacy classes. We’ve also hired their former interns to be part of our team. We are grateful that our close relationship continues to this day.

Click here if you want to lend your time and talent to IIB.

"The International Institute of Buffalo makes Western New York a better place for, and because of, immigrants and refugees."