Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants Acquires New Headquarters in Bridgeport

To more effectively respond to the unmet needs of the state’s immigrants, refugees, and employers, the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) has finalized the acquisition of a new headquarters that will double its space, consolidate all its Bridgeport staff into one building, and enable it to dramatically expand its workforce development programming and other supportive services for immigrants across our state, the organization recently announced.

In 2023, CIRI provided critical services to more than 4,000 individuals in Connecticut. It supported over 1,200 refugees including newcomers from Afghanistan and Ukraine, provided legal services to 2,730 immigrants, including 348 unaccompanied children, provided services to 216 survivors of trafficking, and provided economic empowerment training to 320 clients.

Under the acquisition, CIRI, the state’s leading nonprofit provider of comprehensive services for refugees and immigrants, has acquired 12,500 square feet of space from LifeBridge Community Services at 410 Colorado Avenue in Bridgeport.

CIRI officials indicated that it is financing the acquisition through a $2.6 million bond from Connecticut’s Urban Act grant program. The Urban Act grant program supports organizations and municipalities that improve and expand state activities, promoting community conservation and development, and improving the quality of life for urban residents in areas of the state as economically distressed, public investment communities, or urban centers.

In addition to increasing CIRI’s operating efficiency by bringing all its Bridgeport-based staff and programming under one roof, the acquisition will enableCIRI to expand existing services and programming to include workforce development, immigration legal services, digital literacy, English Language Learning, youth empowerment and education, and community training and engagement. CIRI’s main headquarters is currently located at 670 Clinton Ave in Bridgeport, a 5500-square-foot aging former residence.

“This is a historic moment for CIRI and our community,” said CIRI’s President and CEO Susan Schnitzer. “With more than twice as much headquarters space, we will realize a long-time goal of expanding our programming to meet the increasing needs of the State’s current and growing population of refugees and immigrants, including those at heightened risk – unaccompanied youth and survivors of human trafficking.

“Immigrants are a crucial component of the state’s economy and cultural vibrancy. The new headquarters provides the physical space necessary to accommodate CIRI’s vast expansion and future plans by offering a welcoming, healing, and empowering space for all immigrants in our community. This expansion would not have been possible without the support of our partners in state agencies and Governor Lamont. The Governor and his team of Commissioners have created a welcome and empowering space for CIRI to thrive as an agency, so we may help our clients thrive in our state.”

“As they sing in Hamilton: Immigrants get the job done,” said Governor Ned Lamont. “I’m proud to support this new headquarters so CIRI can keep getting its job done by providing immigrants and refugees with the warm welcome that will help them thrive in Connecticut and contribute to Connecticut’s many vibrant communities.”

“LifeBridge has collaborated with CIRI for over a decade, offering trauma-informed behavioral health services to immigrant and refugee youth, individuals, and families,” said Edith Boyle, LCSW, President and CEO, LifeBridge Community Services. “Though our missions differ, our services complement each other, and it will strengthen our community to have our agencies located so closely.”

Renovations to the facility are slated to begin this fall.