“For the first time in Olympics history, a team of refugee athletes will band together in Rio de Janeiro this August to represent the 20 million people in the world who have no one country to call home...At recent press conferences, it has become clear that the men and women who comprise the team are united in a simple, yet powerful message they hope to get across to the world:

“ ‘We still are humans. We are not only refugees. We are like everyone in the world ... We didn’t choose to leave our homelands.’ "

Paula and the Traveling Granola Bar

Providence Granola Project Entrepreneur Assistant Paula Cunanan doesn’t like to go far without access to one of the world’s tastiest granola bars. That’s why when she traveled through Europe volunteering at organic farms, she took along a good supply. Then, picking up on an idea of PGP Director of Strategic Partnerships Anne Dombrofski, she decided to post “Where In the World” photos of her traveling granola bars on PGP’s Facebook and twitter pages.

Refugee Children Get Sesame Street

"Sesame Workshop and the IRC will adapt existing Sesame products and content for regions where the two organizations already have a presence working with young children and their families. ... The partnership is aimed at the children who make up half of the record 60 million people currently displaced around the world, specifically the one-third of that population under the age of eight."

Why Small Towns Seek Refugees

The mayor [of Goslar] has also said, "Anyone who tells me Germany is full up, or that we can’t afford them, I say think of our past, and of the future. Of course we can afford them – we’re a rich country, and we have a duty to help those in need.”

Staff contributorJuly 14, 2016refugee, small town, revitalization, welcome, Nagu, Finland, Canada, Riace, Kurds, Italy, Goslar, Germany, migrant, immigrantComment

Visiting a Refugee Camp

At the Providence Granola Project, we also see over and over again, that the reason refugees put themselves through so much struggle to come here and carve out a life is for family.

“I would love to create a way where the abundance of people who want to help could get connected on an individual, people-to-people basis to help those who need it most."

Staff contributorJuly 8, 2016refugee, ARC, Turkey, Syria, empathy, family, Providence Granola ProjectComment

Our Friends in Utica, New York

“We shouldn’t need reminding, but we do,” the paper said. “The reminder is that refugees and immigrants are what make our nation strong.

”If you look closely at those refugees and immigrants, you’ll see some familiar faces. Your grandparents, perhaps. Or your great-grandparents.”

Tea House of Understanding

Characterized on the Web as a “quirky tea shop with beverages such as smoothies & shakes, plus Mediterranean-inspired nibbles,” Algebra Tea House has overcome initial neighborhood resistance to become a comfortable gathering place for all.

Thinking about Refugee Food Businesses

In these times, it’s heartening to read about other organizations helping refugees through food businesses. Makes us wonder: maybe there should be a trade group.

The PGP at the 2016 SEEED Summit

Providence Granola joined the fun Saturday at the pop-up Buy With Heart Marketplace held at Brown University. The marketplace was hosted by the Social Enterprise Greenhouse and coincided with the 2016 SEEED (Social Enterprise Ecosystem for Economic Development) Summit in Providence.

Cookies Made with Providence Granola

My daughter made some cookies last month using Providence Granola's "Originola." They were delicious! I wanted to make similar cookies but I thought I'd taste all the granola flavors first. I decided I was most in love with the pistachio cardamom. This flavor was created by Providence Granola’s Iraqi (ethnically Assyrian) chef, Evon Nano, and it was marvelous.

Staff contributorApril 21, 2016Comment

Reflections by Issaq

Isaaq fled Somalia as a young man to a refugee camp in Ethiopia. He arrived in the United States in September last year, and in October, we welcomed him to the Providence Granola Project. Recently, we asked Isaaq's case manager at the local refugee resettlement agency Dorcas International Institute of RI--which refers refugees to us for job training--to talk to Isaaq about his experiences.

Staff contributorApril 9, 2016job training, refugees, Dorcas, Providence Granola Project, Somalia, granola, skills, language, culture, self-sufficiencyComment

An Interview with Faustine from the DRC

“Where are you from and why did you come here, to Providence?” I ask him.

"It’s a bad situation in Congo." They traveled to find safety.

They ended up in a Ugandan refugee camp.

"How long were you there?”

"16-17 years," he says. But his wife interjects; “19 years,” she says.

Staff contributorSeptember 3, 2015Comment

Gervais Minani: Burundi to Providence, RI

Are you happy with your job? Are you learning a lot?

Erneste informs me that he couldn’t be happier. Gervais is a very quiet man, even in his home environment; Erneste elaborates upon his three-worded answers and eyebrow expressions to carry the conversation.

Staff contributorAugust 1, 2015Comment

The First Interview: Gervais Minani

As a first post to the Beautiful Day Blog, I’d like to recount my interview with a current member of the granola staff, Gervais. I met him one day at the Amos House kitchen where the granola is made, with the hope of getting to know him a little better. In no time at all, I had his eldest son Jerome on the phone, and had set up a meeting at his family’s home in Providence two days hence. Yikes! With no clue about how to conduct such a sensitive interview about a refugee’s life history, I set out for his house with shaking hands and very little confidence.

On-the-job training, RefugeesStaff contributorJuly 31, 2015Comment

A Little Sweet, A Little Tart, A lot of Love

Ah, Valentine's Day. The holiday known to be bursting with as much romance and swooning ("ah, l'amour!") as there is cynicism and angst ("what an overrated capitalistic convention!"). Wherever you are on Valentine's Day and in whatever mood, might we step back from the hype and give a nod towards all the reasons there are to celebrate and have a little fun?

Granola, Social VenturesStaff contributorFebruary 5, 2013Valentine's DayComment