Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the result of the suspended federal refugee resettlement funding due to a U.S. Department of State stop work order, The Refugee Partnership of Western New York announced on Friday the launch of a Crisis Response Fund to help refugees throughout the region that have arrived within the last 90 days.
The funding through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program provides support to recently resettled families and individuals during their first 90 days in the United States, and includes basic needs assistance for housing and food, and funds for resettlement agencies to ensure refugee case management and supports such as school enrollment, job placement, and other social support programs to help them assimilate to their new communities.
The Refugee Partnership’s campaign goal is to raise $1.5 million within the next 30 days to help fill this shortfall in funding, and support the 731 refugees in Western New York who have arrived in the last 90 days.
“We knew policy changes were coming to refugee resettlement programs, but we were blindsided by funding cuts to support refugees who had recently arrived in the United States and have the legal right to be here,” said Dr. Molly Carr, CEO of Jewish Family Services of WNY. “This campaign will help our organizations to honor the commitment of the U.S. Government who had legally vetted, cleared these individuals to resettle in the United States, and promised to help fund their first 90 days here. We are committed to helping these refugees assimilate to our community and begin a successful and self-sufficient path to becoming New Americans.”
According to Amnesty International, a refugee is a person who has fled their country because they are at risk of serious human rights violations and persecution there and their own government cannot or will not protect them from those dangers. Refugees have a right to international protection, and they have been legally vetted through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and approved to come to the United States.
The Refugee Partnership is a collaboration made up of the five Buffalo agencies that serve refugees and immigrants – Catholic Charities of Buffalo, International Institute of Buffalo, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Jewish Family Services of WNY, and Journey’s End Refugee Services. This is the second major collaborative campaign The Refugee Partnership has undertaken.
In 2021, they came together to raise funds to assist 350 Afghan evacuees who settled in Buffalo while their cases for asylum were adjudicated.
“The State Department promised refugee families (and the nonprofits that resettle them) it would pay for clients' basic needs and case management support for three months so that these newly arrived refugees could get their bearings and integrate into our community. Now, it has defaulted on the funding it owes to us for work already performed and to be performed for the families already here,” said Jennifer Rizzo-Choi, executive director at the International Institute of Buffalo. “Regardless of your politics or who you voted for, that is wrong and beneath our great nation's dignity. Not living up to previous commitments is terrible public policy and un-American.”
The Western New York Foundation, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, and M&T Bank have each generously contributed $100,000, and the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York has made a $50,000 gift for a total of $350,000 in lead gifts to get the Crisis Response Fund underway.
“We cannot suspend hope. Journey’s End Refugee Services continues to support our new neighbors and empower them to make Western New York home again despite the federal stop work order,” said Pamela Bos Kefi, CEO of Journey’s End Refugee Services. “We know this is an investment in our future – strengthening our local economy. Refugees are an important part of our workforce, small business owners, taxpayers, and job creators. Refugee resettlement saves lives and helps Buffalo thrive. We need you to stand with us to show once again that refugee resettlement aligns with the best interests of Western New York and the United States.”
“Although the federal government has suspended refugee resettlement, Catholic Charities continues to fulfill its obligation to support the individuals and families who arrived before the suspension took effect – helping those who arrived lawfully get a foothold on starting a new life after years of enduring the hardships of refugee camps around the world,” added Deacon Steve Schumer, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Buffalo. “Like our partners in this effort, we face a significant financial burden in doing this work. Not doing it, however, exacts a much higher human cost and would leave an indelible blemish on our community.”
As the fifth member organization of The Refugee Partnership, Jericho Road Community Health Center does not specifically resettle refugees, rather they provide essential ancillary health services for families and individuals who have recently arrived in the United States.
“Refugees and immigrants are not just revitalizing Buffalo, they are redefining what it means to be the City of Good Neighbors,” said Anna Ireland Mongo, chief program officer with Jericho Road. “Buffalo’s transformation is not about filling gaps in our economy or renovating buildings; it’s about the radical, compassionate act of seeing newcomers not for what they can do, but for who they are. And in embracing their full humanity, we create a Buffalo that is truly alive, not just with opportunity, but with empathy and solidarity. Immigrants haven’t just revived our city; they’ve reinvigorated the very heart of what it means to be a community.”
Every dollar raised in integral to support refugee resettlement in Western New York. For details on how to donate securely to The Refugee Partnership emergency relief campaign, visit refugeepartnership.org.