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Hold the date! 2012 International Institute's Annual Trivia Night is April 27

Aug. 25-26 International Institute's Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park

Welcome! The International Institute of St. Louis offers a variety services for 7,000 new Americans from 75 countries each year. We help immigrants and their families become productive Americans and champion ethnic diversity as a cultural and economic strength. With the help of the Institute, many newcomers can achieve independence and make valuable contributions to the St. Louis community.

Hundreds of cultural groups also rely on the Institute for bridging services to link newcomers with the mainstream community. Barriers can sometimes arise due to cultural and language disparities, linguistic isolation, generational distinctions, and the impact of acculturation. To address these and other needs, we offer a wide range of programs arranged in the three pillars of service.

Immersion
The institute offers a wide variety of social and educational programs to address the immediate needs of our newest immigrants. Our services focus on communication, employment, health and general well-being of foreign-born individuals who have frequently been in the US only a few weeks or months.

• English Classes for Adults • Job Search • Employment Training • Refugee Resettlement • Immigration Application Preparation & Photos • Mental Health Services • Elderly Services • Counseling & Social Work • Services to Victims of Domestic Violence or Human Trafficking

Investment
Immigrant entrepreneurs are valuable members of St. Louis' economy. The businesses immigrants start help their families begin the long path to economic success and eventual acculturation. Equally important, small businesses create jobs and wealth for our entire community.

• Small Business Technical Assistance • Business Development Micro-Loans • Peer Lending Circle • Financial Literacy • Asset-Building • Credit Counseling • Urban Farming & Product Sales

Inclusion
The International Institute is the St. Louis region's authority on issues that involve connecting immigrants and the wider community. The Institute provides fee-based multilingual communication solutions so companies can take greater advantage of the growing global business market; recruit and retain a multicultural workforce; and build a larger multicultural customer base. We also produce the annual Festival of Nations, which showcases multicultural performances, demonstrations, and food. Offered free to the general public, the festival draws more than 140,000 visitors together while raising money and awareness for people-in-need.

• Festival of Nations • Translation & Interpretation • the i - International Community Calendar • Speaker Bureau • Culture Links Directory • Multicultural & Ethnic Market Research • Cultural Competency Training • Multicultural Communication Training

Together, we can improve lives and help strengthen the St. Louis region.

The Beekeeper

"This is the way I want to live my life, not working in a cell phone store," said 28-year old Osman, our newest beekeeper. Osman arrived in St. Louis barely 18 months ago. He was alone – without friends or family. He had been unjustly imprisoned because of his outspoken criticisms of his government in Sudan. He escaped prison but could not return home for fear of putting his family in danger.

Osman joined the Institute's Global Farms Program which debuted in fall 2010. He was immediately drawn to the entrepreneurial aspects of urban farming and sold harvested produce at the Tower Grove Farmers' Market every weekend this past summer.

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