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cc�1n9 /4a� ® a <br /> THE SAINT PAUL FOUNDATION <br /> • ° •• I " -lid Volume 3• Number 3•Summer 2004 <br /> Refugee Resettlement Offers Ramsey County Bar <br /> Association Honors <br /> Opportunities to Foster Community Foundation and President <br /> Emeritus Paul Verret <br /> At its annual meeting on May 12th <br /> Y <br /> the Ramsey County Bar Association <br /> awarded The Saint Paul Foundation <br /> with the 2004 Diversity Award for its <br /> commitment to promoting diversity in <br /> Ramsey County. The Foundation's <br /> recent release of a one-year study on <br /> } racism in the East Metro, its upcoming <br /> = campaign to address racism,and its <br /> 4 work with SpectrumTrust won the <br /> l `{ organization a unanimous vote from <br /> xx;ir the Ramsey County Bar Association's <br /> - Diversity Committee. <br /> Children's Defense fund Minnesota helps_refugees enroll in public healthcare programs. Paul Verret,president emeritus of the <br /> Foundation, received the Liberty Bell <br /> Nearly 70,000 refugees from more than 60 countries have made a new Award,the Association's highest <br /> home in Minnesota in the last quarter century. With 5,000 Hmong refugees honor for a non-lawyer. Since 1964, <br /> arriving this year,it's clear that Minnesota continues its role as one of the the award has recognized individuals <br /> leading states in welcoming refugees. The Saint Paul Foundation has a who promote a better understanding <br /> history of supporting refugee communities,of recognizing the changing face of government and law and exemplify <br /> of Minnesota and providing funding to strengthen and stabilize families. a deeper sense of individual <br /> responsibility under the law. <br /> The needs of refugees evolve as their familiarity with their new community <br /> grows. New arrivals require employment skills,healthcare,and housing— <br /> the Foundation makes a variety of grants to support these needs. Refugees issue:In this <br /> begin to achieve self-sufficiency through high school equivalency programs, <br /> citizenship courses,and by launching nonprofits to meet unique needs in 2: President's Letter <br /> their communities. To help them become citizens,the Foundation makes Donors , Works <br /> grants to groups like the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Ultimately, 4: Scholarship Fund Opens Doors <br /> refugees become full contributors to a cohesive community. To foster this, <br /> the Foundation supports groups like the Leadership Empowerment and Bob Engebretsen " <br /> Development Group to build leadership and increase civic engagement. 6: El Fondo Holds Latina Voter <br /> • The recent influx of Hmong refugees signals a new era—and a new <br /> opportunity—for Hmong-Minnesotans. When these initial refugees fled Participation' Profile: Diane <br /> Laos at the end of the Vietnam War,the community in Minnesota had little <br /> understanding of Hmong language,culture,or the impact of war on the <br /> 8: News Briefs <br /> Refugee Resettlement continued on page 2 <br />