City of Columbus Junction
The City of Columbus Junction is a rural town in Southeastern Iowa with a population under 3,000. After the establishment of the nearby Tyson Foods meatpacking plant, Columbus Junction experienced a high influx of immigrants and refugees, including many Latino immigrants and refugees from Burma.
Operating at the Columbus Junction Public Library, RISE AmeriCorps Members help meet the needs of the immigrant and refugee communities. For example, they help clients find and apply for jobs, help them sign up for public benefits, help coordinate medical assistance, translate and more. RISE AmeriCorps Members have also offered workshops on skills to gain and retain employment.
