State Senator Ed Kennedy attended the open house of the new Lowell office of the International Institute of New England located at 101 Jackson Street in Downtown Lowell on Tuesday, January 24. The mission of the International Institute of New England is to create opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship.
The Lowell office of the International Institute of New England Lowell has welcomed refugees to the city since 1919. Today, the site serves refugee families and individuals from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Myanmar/Burma, China, Cuba, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eritrea, Honduras, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Uganda. They also serve Special Immigrant Visa holders from Afghanistan and Iraq, and Cubans and Haitians who are beneficiaries of the Cuban/Haitian entrant program.
The International Institute provides an array of support services starting with the initial resettlement program that lasts for a short 90 days. Support services are focused on helping refugees and immigrants successfully transition into their new lives in the United States and include job placements services; cultural adjustment programming; English language instruction; extended case management support; an asset development program for families ready to take steps towards purchasing a vehicle or home; and citizenship application services.
Later, State Senator Ed Kennedy would join the Library Trustees and staff during a ‘Meet and Greet’ event at the Pollard Memorial Library in honor of the new Library Director, Steve Robichaud.
Steve Robichaud has an extensive background as a librarian, having worked for over 20 years in various roles in the academic libraries at Fitchburg State College, Clemson University and Southern New Hampshire University. He started his career doing the hands-on work of acquiring, cataloging, and managing a library collection, and most recently Steve supervised numerous functions at SNHU and managed its library budget. Steve grew up in Central Massachusetts. His background will bring a fresh perspective to the Pollard Library while allowing him to grow with and learn from its staff and patrons.
Pictured from left to right: Pollard Library Trustee Judith Davidson, Library Director Steve Robichaud, State Representative Vanna Howard, State Senator Ed Kennedy, Pollard Library Trustee Chair Donna Richards and Pollard Library Trustee Helen Littlefield