IRIS

It's not a rebrand; it's a reframe. IRIS has a new yet familiar logo! Ahead of our celebration of America's 250th birthday and the launch of our New Americans framework, we wanted our identity to reflect our values - that all are welcome here, and that everyone in the United States deserves the same chance for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We're still the same IRIS. This update showcases what it means to us to support immigrant and refugee communities. #WelcomeAll #NewAmericans #ImmigrantSupport #RefugeeRights #IRISCommunity #irisct

Nationals of more than 70 countries are banned from traveling here; immigrant visa processing including green card applications have stopped as well. Refugees and asylum seekers cannot reach safety. Only white South Africans (Afrikaners) are arriving. So why does IRIS's work matter now? There are thousands of families already here in Connecticut and tens of thousands more across the U.S. who are trying to build stable lives and create a place where they belong. They are, regardless of their immigration status, New Americans. We are adapting our programs to serve existing as well as new needs: Career readiness for young adults, Workforce navigation, Targeted English language support, Legal assistance for refugee re-interviews, and more. We know the wraparound services needed to connect immigrants with the programs that offer them the opportunity to secure higher paying jobs, meet the needs of their families, and feel more secure - like they actually belong here. And yes, all this is urgently needed now as federal immigration policy changes, social benefits reductions, inhumane ICE enforcement, and xenophobic, racist statements of some elected leaders create very real fear and insecurity in immigrant communities. That's why we're also centering civic engagement in partnership with organizations like the @leagueofwomenvoters and @acluct . Immigrants should know their rights not just when it comes to ICE encounters — their voice matters in the PTA, at townhalls, in community meetings. We can't wait to share more about our four program areas in the coming weeks. The New Americans in our community value your support, and so do we. 💜 @aclu_nationwide @lwvct #RefugeeSupport #NewAmericans #ImmigrantRights #WelcomeWithDignity #CommunityBelonging

The Great Give is here — and we’re counting on you to make a difference for New Americans across Connecticut. The goal: $75,000 raised in 36 hours. Your mission: to become one of 500 unique donors committed to helping IRIS do the work we’ve done for 40 years. With $35,000 in matching already committed and additional prizes from The Great Give, your gift can go even further. Donate and make a difference for our immigrant and refugee communities. Link in bio! #TheGreatGive #NewHavenCT #ConnecticutNonprofit

For the hands that held us, the hearts that shaped us, for love that shows up every day in quiet, powerful ways - today we honor you. Happy Mother’s Day to all who mother with grace. 🌸 — IRIS 💜💛❤️ #MothersDay #HonoringMothers #irisct #LoveThatNurtures #SacredCare

THANK YOU for an incredible Great Give 2026! 💛 Because of your generosity, IRIS finished #2 on the leaderboard and raised $108,006 in just 36 hours, surpassing our $75,000 goal. Your support helps us continue providing critical services to immigrant and refugee communities and empowers New Americans to build stable, joy-filled lives. We are so grateful to be part of such a powerful, caring community. ✨ Missed The Great Give? THERE'S STILL TIME! We’re continuing to fundraise through Monday at 8 AM‼️ You can also still make a difference by donating at irisct.org/donate or by supporting us through our merch store at irisct.org/shop. Thank you for standing with our community! #GreatGive2026 #ThankYouDonors #ImmigrantJustice #RefugeeSupport #CommunityStrong

💜It's #GratiTuesday 💜 and our community has truly been rocking and walking for IRIS... and we are so grateful! 🎶🚶‍♀️ A huge shoutout to the #RockVoicesWestHartford choir for rocking the house at their April 24 concert, and to everyone who walked the walk at the @ctfoodshare #WalkAgainstHunger2026 on April 25. THANK YOU for every donation, every step, and every note lifted in support. Your generosity keeps our mission moving forward. 💪✨ ⚠️ And the momentum doesn’t stop here! The Great Give kicks off tomorrow, and it’s the perfect opportunity to continue supporting IRIS and help us amplify this impact even more. Stay tuned, give if you can, and keep rocking and walking with us! 💛 #ThankYou #RockingAndWalking #TheGreatGive #GiveLocal #CommunityStrong #MissionInAction #RockVoices #WestHartford #CTFoodshare #WalkAgainstHunger #EndHungerCT

We're one day away from The Great Give! IRIS is committed to supporting New Americans - immigrants and refugees settling into our communities - during a time when the current administration is actively restricting their path to safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives. This moment is urgent, and during this year's Great Give, your support is deeply appreciated. Help us reach our goal of $75,000 raised by bookmarking our support page now so you're ready to donate between May 6th and 7th - link in bio! #TheGreatGive #NewHavenCT #ConnecticutNonprofit #ImmigrantsMakeAmericaGreat #irisct

We’re only TWO DAYS away from #TheGreatGive 2026! Donate to IRIS and support our mission today. LINK IN BIO! #greatgive2026 #SupportNewAmericans #ImmigrantsMakeAmericaGreat #irisct

Last night, we were honored to celebrate an incredible milestone at the Connecticut State Seal of Biliteracy Celebration at Wilbur Cross High School! 🎓🌍 A record‑breaking 264 graduating seniors from New Haven earned the Seal of Biliteracy, representing 17 different languages - the largest number since the program began. We are incredibly proud that many of these students are members of the IRIS family, whose dedication to multilingual learning, cultural connection, and academic excellence truly shined throughout the evening. 💙✨ IRIS students were powerfully represented on stage, including two outstanding 11th graders who captivated the audience with their beautiful recitations of Arabic poetry. We were also proud to see Omar Yacoub, IRIS Director of Education, deliver a compelling and inspiring keynote, urging students to stay connected to their languages and continue growing their multilingual skills as they move forward in life. Thank you to the Wilbur Cross High School staff, Jessica Haxhi, NHPS Supervisor of World Languages, and all the students, educators, faculty, and family members who came together to celebrate this remarkable achievement. A special congratulations to all of the honorees - IRIS is so proud to be part of your journey! #IRISProud #IRISFamily #SealofBiliteracy #CTSealofBiliteracy #MultilingualExcellence #BilingualEducation #LanguageChampions #NewHavenProud #NHPS #WilburCrossHighSchool #StudentAchievement #CelebratingLanguages #ArabicPoetry #FutureLeaders

💛The Great Give is almost here - and our community has a powerful opportunity to come together. IRIS is here, and we are not going anywhere. Every day, IRIS supports New Americans across Connecticut as they build lives of dignity, stability, and belonging. As many families face legal challenges, language barriers, and economic uncertainty, IRIS continues to show up with trusted support and deep commitment. During The Great Give, we’re aiming for $75,000 and 500 donors - and thanks to dollar-for-dollar matches and prizes, your gift can go even further. If you’ve been wondering how to help, this is a powerful way to stand with our community. ✨ Give today and help support the IRIS mission. LINK IN BIO! ✨ #TheGreatGive #GreatGive2026 #StandWithIRIS #SupportImmigrants #SupportRefugees #GreaterNewHaven #CommunitySupport #GiveBack #StrongerTogether

💜💛 #GratiTuesday Volunteer Appreciation 💛💜 This Volunteer Appreciation Month, we’re taking a moment to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to the incredible volunteers who make IRIS’s mission possible. This past year has brought real challenges for our organization, and through it all, your commitment, generosity, and belief in our work have kept us moving forward. From tutoring and supporting families one‑on‑one, to helping with outreach at community events (shout out to @mayorjustinmelicker for being an honorary volunteer and supporting our outreach table!), assisting at the food pantry, and everything in between - your contributions at every level matter more than we can ever express. Truly, we could not do this without you. We were so grateful to celebrate our volunteers at our appreciation event this past Friday. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make it such a meaningful evening of recognition and connection. As we look ahead, we’re excited to continue building new opportunities to get involved and make an impact together. Interested in joining our amazing volunteer community? Visit our website to learn more. Today and always, thank you for standing with IRIS and the families we serve. 💜 #VolunteerAppreciationMonth #GratiTuesday #ThankYouVolunteers #IRISVolunteers #CommunitySupport #NonprofitGratitude #TogetherForward

Together, we showed up. Together, we made an impact. 💜 IRIS was proud to participate as a benefitting partner in the Walk Against Hunger at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford, standing alongside an incredible community committed to fighting food insecurity across Connecticut. This event directly supports our IRIS Food Pantry, helping ensure that immigrant and refugee families in our community have access to the food they need with dignity and care. We are deeply grateful: ✨ to our amazing volunteers who show up early, stay engaged, and represent IRIS with heart. Thank you Nicole! ✨ to everyone who walked to support IRIS and stood in solidarity. ✨ to those who donated and supported families we serve, your generosity truly makes a difference. This is what community looks like. Thank you for being part of it 💜 #IRISCT #WalkAgainstHunger #CommunityStrong #EndHunger #ImmigrantsMakeAmericaGreat #Connecticut #GiveBack #Volunteer #StrongerTogether ​