Resettlement agencies gear up as Afghan refugees arrive in NC. Here’s how you can help.
It was a busy afternoon earlier this month as new workers moved in and employees carried boxes and paperwork from one room to another of the two-story John O’Daniel Exchange building on the edge of East Durham.
World Relief Durham, a local branch of the national, faith-based, refugee resettlement agency, was expanding in an unprecedented way.
After major cuts in federal funding for refugee agencies during the Trump administration, President Joe Biden approved $100 million in emergency aid for Afghan refugees July 24, just as the last U.S. troops trickled out of Afghanistan.
Adam Clark, the director of World Relief Durham, said the closest thing to what resettlement agencies like his are experiencing happened in the late 1970s after the Vietnam War.
“This isn’t a typical situation for refugee resettlement evacuation,” Clark said. “Sudden flights coming into military bases is not typically how the process works.”
He’s referring to the 2,500 Afghan refugees directly flown into Fort Lee in Virginia, an operation that started in late July. They are just a small portion of the thousands of Afghans who worked for the U.S. government and military and whose special immigrant visas were approved. At least 10,000 others with pending background checks will be taken to other U.S. military bases in other countries to await visa approval.
Since the Biden administration announced in April it would withdraw troops, 25 Afghans with SIVs have arrived in North Carolina by way of Fort Lee.
“Most of the time we have a few weeks notice when a family is coming,” Clark said. “In this case, we have 24 hours.”
Clark says his agency alone may resettle about 90 refugees through September. Traditionally, in about a year, World Relief Durham would resettle anywhere between 200 and 300 refugees, he said.
Afghan arrivals, Clark said, are getting a list of cities outside typical Afghan resettlement hubs to try to spread them out if they don’t have family or friends in a particular location.
“Durham is on that list,” he added. “We’re excited about that!”
The Triangle has three other resettlement agencies affiliated with the Department of State’s Refugee Processing Center. They are Church World Service-IRP, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and Lutheran Family Services In The Carolinas.
Clark says all of them need volunteers, housing for arriving refugees, and interpreters.
How to help
Housing: Refugees often lack credit history and verifiable income. Landlords and property owners interested in supporting refugees are asked to reach out to resettlement agencies to coordinate housing.
- Church World Service RDU: Kokou Nayo, refugee community organizer knayo@cwsglobal.org
- Lutheran Services Carolinas: NCrefugee@LSCarolinas.net
- World Relief Durham: Rebecca Evens, resettlement manager revens@wr.org
Interpreters: The two official languages of Afghanistan are Pashto and Dari. World Relief Durham’s Adam Clark says it’s hard finding interpreters fluent in both English and Dari or Pashto. Interpreters are often paid positions. World Relief Durham, for example, pays interpreters $15 per hour. USCRI, CWS and Lutheran Services Carolinas also note interpreter opportunities on their websites, but do not specify whether they are volunteer or paid.
Volunteers: Ellen Andrews, executive director of Church World Service in Durham, says with the number of last-minute arrivals they get, the group constantly need volunteers for tasks like helping set up the refugees housing before they move in and picking them up from the airport, and showing them around the community.
Donations: Another way to support refugees is by donating money or goods. Check the agency’s website to donate online. For goods and larger donations:
▪ Church World Service RDU: Siri Oday, operations and grants manager soday@cwsglobal.org
▪ Lutheran Services Carolinas: Rich Duncan, chief development officer 704-603-1660
▪ USCRI: info@uscrinc.org
▪ World Relief Durham: Elizabeth Thompson, senior development specialist ethompson@wr.org
This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 3:18 PM.
