“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.

Walking a Long Road while Serving Others

We introduced you to Aline back in May. Here she shares her story with our director of strategic partnerships, Anne Dombrofski. We think you will agree that Aline is just the kind of person we want here, building our country.

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.

We're Appealing

She told them, “I hope for everyone to have this opportunity.”

We couldn’t agree more. That’s exactly why we're looking at 2016 as our year to scale up. It’s time. And we’re ready.

So here we go! And this month we have a great opportunity to tell you about.

Keith CooperMay 18, 2016appeal, granola of the month, scale up, annual report, pledge, Providence Granola Project, Beautiful DayComment

Our Big Idea about Small Business

Lately, we’ve been thinking a lot about the nature of business....what a revelation it has been to discover how nearly every aspect of a small business—from capital to product—can serve a higher purpose. We’ve started calling this intention to repurpose every component of a small business our Big Idea.

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

Senator Whitehouse Visits the PGP

It seemed clear to our refugee staff and trainees that if a US senator would take time out of his busy schedule to visit us in our kitchen and extend a welcome, they must be doing something important.

Keith CooperApril 4, 2016Comment

Carroll Webb Joins the Providence Granola Project

“I’ve always been moved by the kindness of others, like the roommate I met on the train. And over my 20-plus years in the food industry, I’ve also seen how food can impact people’s lives and they can really grow in this career path. This was what attracted me to Beautiful Day and the Providence Granola Project. It gives refugees hope and a chance to pursue a path toward self-sustainability.

Anne DombrofskiMarch 18, 2016Comment

Home for the Holidays

We started Beautiful Day knowing that refugees would not begin to feel at home in our city until they had real hope of making a living. Thanks to you, they are gaining hope and feeling at home.

We wish you and your family peace and joy this season. We hope you know the warmth and comfort of being truly home for the holidays.

Anne DombrofskiDecember 20, 2015Comment

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

Funny Summer

It’s been a funny summer.

In February I went to LA and pulled out my back. I woke up. I yawned. I stretched. The two kind of overlapped. Then it was, uh oh, here we go.

Kathy had arranged to meet a friend at a burger place at Venice Beach, so we went early and I popped into a Chinese deep tissue massage stall I found on the Ocean Front walk. I’m not sure I’d recommend it (it’s the one near the muscle guys, not the more expensive upstairs place that requires an appointment). I pretty much cried my way through a 20 minute session. The guy actually placed the tip of his elbow between my vertebrae and pushed down on his fist in like he was staking a tent.

Refugee Resettlement, Refugees, comedy, weight loss, back painKeith CooperAugust 4, 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