Volunteer Highlight: Jose-Luis Suazo
- Women's Refugee Care
- Jul 28
- 2 min read
Jose-Luis, a Master of Social Work candidate at Rhode Island College, interned with Women's Refugee Care (WRC) for six weeks.
During his time with WRC, he assisted with the Saturday food distributions. Every Saturday morning in Providence, local families come together to receive fresh produce, pantry staples, and seafood through Women's Refugee Care. For newly arrived families and also community members in need, navigating these distributions is about more than securing food; it is also about building a social network and connection through services.
"It is such a great example of what a community means; they believe in the neighborhood and the people at large in their neighborhood. It's very important for them to help the people in the neighborhood."
Jose-Luis highlights that even if you don't share the same language, you know what it feels like to be new and to start from scratch. Having immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic, Jose-Luis understands the challenge of learning a new language, adjusting to unfamiliar customs, and searching for belonging in a new place. "In the climate we are experiencing now regarding immigrants and refugees, we need to support initiatives like this more than ever. It is crucial to show up during this time; there is a lot of budget cutting, and the job WRC does is very important for the community they serve." Social work requires understanding both the emotional and practical hurdles refugees face. Whether helping a refugee scholar connect with local leaders or simply offering a warm greeting across a language barrier, creating these personal connections help clients feel seen, heard, and valued. Community networks like WRC transform the refugee experience from one of survival to one of growth, resilience, and genuine connection.
We thank Jose-Luis for his incredible dedication and heart as our intern, and we wish him the absolute best of luck in his future career as a social worker!
