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EMM Connects with Supporters at General Convention
The Episcopal Church General Convention in Indianapolis in July was a critically important moment in the life of the Church. For EMM, General Convention was an opportunity to engage with Episcopalians involved and interested in ministry to refugees in the past, present and future. We reunited with two former EMM directors, connected with staff and parish volunteers who had served new arrivals dating back to the 1970s, and shared the ministry with many who approached us with fresh eyes and enthusiasm for getting involved, including many receiving this newsletter for the first time.
Through an informational luncheon and a reception honoring supporters from Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis, for their support of our partners at Exodus Refugee/Immigration Inc., we sought to lift up the contributions of churches and encourage even greater support in welcoming vulnerable refugees to our shores. The General Convention also passed a resolution in support of a modernized refugee resettlement program -- Resolution B028 proposed by Bishop Prince Singh of Rochester
-- which will inform the advocacy work of our colleagues in the Office of Government Relations as they pursue a program that best serves refugees and the communities that welcome them.
Our time in Indianapolis was both productive and inspiring, as the deep-rooted, church-wide commitment to welcoming the stranger in our midst shone through yet again.
Gratefully Yours,
Deborah Stein, EMM Director
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Columbus Apartment Fire Displaces Former Refugees
Losing a home to fire is difficult and upsetting for anyone. But for the refugee families in Columbus, Ohio, who lost their apartments and most of their belongings to a blaze on August 21, the impact is especially devastating.
The complex in northeast Columbus housed a number of refugee clients of Episcopal Migration Ministries’ (EMM) local affiliate partners at Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS). The wide-scale fire left 70 people homeless and in need of shelter from the Red Cross.
For the refugee community in the complex, the incident compounds the trauma of being previously displaced by persecution, and for a number of families from Bhutan, it brought back nightmarish memories of a fire that destroyed 500 homes in their refugee camp last year.
CRIS is working with the displaced families as they assess the damage from the fire and seek to establish new residences. CRIS is asking donors for gift cards to major stores that can be used to replace household items and meet other needs over time. To offer assistance, please contact Angela Plummer at aplummer@cris-ohio.org.
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Dental Clinic Offers Critical Service to Newcomers
The first six months of a refugee’s experience in the United States can be clogged with commitments and concerns; finding employment, accessing medical care, acclimating to a new culture, and many other matters command time and attention.
In Grand Rapids, finding an opportunity to go to the dentist, even for refugees with young children, can fall down the list of urgent priorities.
To help address this important need, Episcopal Migration Ministries’ (EMM) affiliate partners at Lutheran Social Services of Michigan in Grand Rapids now serve refugee children new to Michigan with a mobile dental clinic set up in the agency’s office.
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Buffalo Partner Secures Grant to Educate Young Refugees
Refugees coming to the United States as adolescents often face a tricky scenario. Educational opportunities in refugee camps and other temporary shelter situations lag far behind what students in the U.S. experience.
As a result, young refugees may be several grade levels behind their peers, and with most school systems requiring graduation by age 21, pressure and frustration often compound the challenges facing new arrivals.
In Buffalo, New York, Episcopal Migration Ministries’ (EMM) affiliate partners at Journey’s End Refugee Services are working to support young refugees facing this scenario. With help from a $350,000 grant from the state of New York, the agency is rolling out a new “alternative to school” program this year tailored specifically for refugee youth caught in this “in-between” position.
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EMM Remembers Donna Craig
Donna Craig founded Kentucky Refugee Ministries (KRM), EMM’s affiliate partner in Louisville and Lexington, in 1989. The organization resettled 25 refugees that year from an office run from Donna’s kitchen table. In the 23 years since, Kentucky Refugee Ministries has assisted nearly 10,000 people from over 40 nationalities.
Donna passed away on July 31st at the age of 65, leaving behind a host of grateful friends and admirers in the refugee community in Kentucky and beyond.
After leaving KRM, Donna spent the later years of her life leading mountain expeditions in Montana through the Sierra Club. She is survived by her four children and 11 grandchildren.
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Arrivals Summary
As of July 31, 2012, EMM affiliates has assisted 3,078 refugees since the start of the fiscal year on October 1, 2011. This work is carried out with the support of parishes and community volunteers across many dioceses of the Episcopal Church. Those refugees comes from the following regions:
Africa: 743 refugees
Near East: 745 refugees
South Asia: 798 refugees
East Asia: 663 refugees
Latin America and Caribbean: 119 refugees
Europe and Central Asia: 10 refugees
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