Neighbors to Newcomers

Harvesting the Power of Community

World Grace Project is blessed by the diverse, beautiful, hardworking community we serve. Their contributions to Waterloo inspired and continue to grow the project every day. Since 2010, the census has revealed that the white population is in decline in Waterloo, only to be replaced by minority populations, numbering over 10,000 in 10 years.

Neighbors to Newcomers creates a 360-degree picture of integration for Cedar Valley Newcomers. Integrating into a new culture doesn't happen in a classroom; it requires interacting with the greater community in multiple settings.

This program encourages healthy exploration of our diverse cultures through specific workforce and community pathways, such as: 

• Supporting Indigenous leaders working to integrate and resource their communities through paid positions as cultural guides and interpreters.
• Engaging the mainstream community by providing volunteer and donation opportunities that support immigrants and refugee families moving to the Cedar Valley.
• Encouraging the newcomer community's education, workforce & personal development through the newcomers' reward store.
• Facilitating new workforce connections by edu​cating new employers on the benefits of adding diversity to their workforce and assisting with translations for new positions available for newcomers.
• Encouraging churches to make room at their table for newcomers seeking a church community to worship with.
• Supporting HR professionals seeking to make a difference in our community

World Grace Project seeks partnerships with employers, churches, and individuals who are passionate about building a bigger table for our immigrant and refugee communities.

Building healthy community connections between our mainstream and multicultural communities is the best way to integrate our incoming newcomer community!