International Institute of Minnesota 4.36

The International Institute of Minnesota is a nonprofit social service agency founded in 1919 as a branch of the YWCA of Saint Paul to address the unmet needs of immigrant women and their families. In 1938, the Institute became an independent agency. Today, the Institute assists New Americans in their transition to a new homeland by providing critical programs and services for integration into a new community. The Institute welcomes New Americans to Minnesota by providing basic services of food and shelter to educational programs and workforce readiness, as well as celebrating cultural heritage with the annual Festival of Nations. Throughout its history, the International Institute of Minnesota has adapted to the needs of new ethnic groups by hiring bilingual staff, designing relevant programs and services, and responding to the evolving needs of clients.

As a major refugee resettlement agency since 1975, the Institute has sponsored more than 24,000 refugees into Minnesota, principally through the family reunification process, and more recently through the free case process (refugees who come to Minnesota without family connections). The Institute is the largest sponsor of Hmong and Somali refugees in Minnesota. We are currently resettling Karen, Ethiopian, Somali, Iraqi and Bhutanese refugees.

The Institute’s programs are divided into two primary areas: Resettlement Services and Education and Employment Training Services. In addition to those, more than 1,500 individuals receive assistance annually with immigration paperwork and passport photos as walk-in clients. All program participants are low-income refugees and immigrants.