MCC students host event for refugee families and their children

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Students at Monroe Community College on Monday came together to lend a hand to some new faces here in Rochester.

Members of the chemistry club and other student organizations held an event to help refugee families and their children.

Students had activities like board games and coloring kits for the children. This was while they helped their parents get in touch with local outreach groups, like Mary’s Place and refugees helping refugees.

They tell us it’s all part of an effort to help the families adjust and thrive here in Rochester.

“One of the community service projects we’ve been working on this year is promoting the well-being of adolescent refugees through play, and how play can be beneficial for developing coping skills in a new environment and how it can be very therapeutic as well,” said Isaiah Gonsalves, the co-vice president of Phi Theta Kappa Honors in Action Project.

Students also tell us the resource fair will help those families with citizenship, housing, food, and mental health services.