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Iraqi refugees find home in Baltimore
Refugees struggle to acclimate to life in Baltimore
Issue date: 11/20/08
During those years up to 3,000 refugees resettled annually in the Baltimore area. These include refugees from conflicts in the Congo, Somalia and the Sudan. Ethnic minorities who have faced majority persecution in Myanmar and the former Soviet Union have also been resettled in and around Baltimore. This year has seen the arrival of refugees from America's latest war. In the last six months 18 Iraqi families have resettled in Baltimore.
Refugee and asylee resettlement is conducted in the United States by private non-profit organizations contracted by the State Department. These private organizations, such as the IRC and Lutheran Social Services (LSS) which are active in Baltimore, receive funds from government sources to help ease recently arrived refugees into their new lives here.
This includes paying for rent and utilities during their fist months here, as well as helping them secure employment. However, these grants total only $850 per refugee. Fikremariam estimated that his agency spends $3,000 to $4,000 per refugee family in the first few months they are in the country.
Resettlement agencies also refer refugees and asylees to appropriate English classes as well as additional employment counseling.
The IRC has been resettling refugees in Baltimore since 1999. In fiscal year 2008 they resettled 480 refugees and 140 asylees, with the majority coming from Nepal, Myanmar and Iraq and various African nations.
The IRC sees Baltimore as a good city to resettle refugees to because the costs of living are lower than many other eastern cities. It is also fitted with accessible public transportation. Refugees also serve to further culturally enrich an already diverse city.
Martin Ford of the Maryland Office for New Americans said that resettlement agencies are under a great deal of pressure to provide comprehensive resettlement services with limited resources.
"Voluntary agencies speak of per capita being underfunded and yet it is a public-private partnership and the expectation from the government is that private entities, whether they be resettlement agencies, churches or local people with big hearts, will be able to leverage local support [for refugees and asylees]," Ford said.
Refugee and asylee resettlement is conducted in the United States by private non-profit organizations contracted by the State Department. These private organizations, such as the IRC and Lutheran Social Services (LSS) which are active in Baltimore, receive funds from government sources to help ease recently arrived refugees into their new lives here.
This includes paying for rent and utilities during their fist months here, as well as helping them secure employment. However, these grants total only $850 per refugee. Fikremariam estimated that his agency spends $3,000 to $4,000 per refugee family in the first few months they are in the country.
Resettlement agencies also refer refugees and asylees to appropriate English classes as well as additional employment counseling.
The IRC has been resettling refugees in Baltimore since 1999. In fiscal year 2008 they resettled 480 refugees and 140 asylees, with the majority coming from Nepal, Myanmar and Iraq and various African nations.
The IRC sees Baltimore as a good city to resettle refugees to because the costs of living are lower than many other eastern cities. It is also fitted with accessible public transportation. Refugees also serve to further culturally enrich an already diverse city.
Martin Ford of the Maryland Office for New Americans said that resettlement agencies are under a great deal of pressure to provide comprehensive resettlement services with limited resources.
"Voluntary agencies speak of per capita being underfunded and yet it is a public-private partnership and the expectation from the government is that private entities, whether they be resettlement agencies, churches or local people with big hearts, will be able to leverage local support [for refugees and asylees]," Ford said.
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Christopher Coen
posted 11/21/08 @ 11:07 AM EST
Government grants do not total only $850 per refugee. That is the amount from the State Department per refugee for resettling refugees in the first month or so. (Continued…)
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