Anoka County resource fair spreads the word to immigrants and refugees

Throughout the year, the Anoka County Children and Family Council holds resource fairs as a way to reach out to newly arrived immigrants and refugees.

During the multicultural events, people can get information on everything from U.S. citizenship to child-care services. Language interpreters in Spanish, Russian and Arabic are on hand to help.

The council is hosting its last resource fair for this year on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Blaine Human Service Center, 1201 89th Av. NE.

Each fair has a theme and this one is "celebration of cultures." It will feature multicultural performers. Last month, the focus was on helping families get ready to go back to school.

Miriam Kopka, who works in the county's economic assistance office, remembers the first fair in 2005.

"It was a struggle to get newly arriving immigrants connected to different services," Kopka said. The idea for the fair came up as "a good way to connect those with a language barrier or transportation issues or other obstacles" to services that are available to everyone, she said.

The human services center made sense as a central location. Vendors can share interpreters and refer people to offices that likely are represented in the same room, while attendees have a one-stop shop for many resources, she said.

Joan Farrell, the county's economic assistance supervisor, helps set up the event. At the fair, Farrell offers information about cash, food, medical and child-support programs that fall under the umbrella of economic assistance. Child-care assistance falls under a different category, but information about that can also be found at the fair, she said.

Also at the fair:

• The Spring Lake Park-Blaine-Mounds View Fire Department is always present to teach people about fire safety. The department's representative talks about smoke detectors. "She'll say, 'Do you know what that is, where it's located, what it's for?' that kind of thing.' " The department can do free home inspections within its coverage area, Farrell said.

• Anoka County Public Health workers can field medical-related questions. North Metro Pediatrics, a Coon Rapids clinic that has a sliding fee scale, will also be around this Thursday.

• The council has invited the Minnesota Department of Health to "address health concerns that refugees and immigrants might have," Farrell said. That could include questions about Ebola, she said. "I know staff and the general public has questions about that."

• The Anoka County Library gives away books and gets people signed up for library cards. The library also has English discussion groups. Another vendor, Metro North Adult Basic Education, offers English language classes year-round, Farrell said.

• Energy assistance is a big topic with the cold weather coming. A representative from the Anoka County Community Action Program (ACCAP) will help people apply for help covering fuel costs over the winter.

Also to prepare for the cold weather, hats and mittens will be given out, Farrell said. Many immigrants and refugees come from warmer climates, and the Minnesota winter can be shocking. "Imagine coming from a place where it doesn't go below 80 degrees. It's hard to imagine the extreme cold here," she said.

ACCAP's Penny Falldin lets people know about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which "offers nutrition assistance to millions of eligible, low-income individuals and families and provides economic benefits to communities," its website reads.

The fair is "a very good way of sharing the information, letting people know that these resources are out there," said Falldin, who comes armed with program brochures, applications and screening tools. She can help people fill out applications or just give out general information about SNAP.

"We really appreciate the opportunity to be there," she said, adding, "I connect with a lot of people who don't know they're eligible" for food assistance.