HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio)—With refugee resettlement organization leaders and state agency commissioners standing behind him, Governor Ned Lamont shared the state's latest efforts in welcoming Afghan refugees that are expected to arrive as early as next week.
The state is preparing for the arrival of 310 evacuees from Afghanistan over the next few weeks, state officials said.
"It's our job to welcome them," the governor said while on the steps of the State Capitol late Friday morning, "given where they're coming from, given the trauma that they have been through, to make sure that they get the old Connecticut welcome."
State agencies are preparing their resources, Lamont said, including the Department of Social Services which collaborates with the federal government to distribute funds to resettlement agencies, the Department of Public Health which is working to ensure healthcare is made available, and the Department of Children and Families which is readying services to meet the needs of the refugees.
The state agencies are working in collaboration with the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants (CIRI) based in Bridgeport and the Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services (IRIS) based in New Haven.
CIRI will be serving 110 of the incoming refugees, CIRI President and CEO Susan Schnitzer said, and though preparation work has been underway for months, CIRI is in need of help.
"We're looking for landlords that have safe and affordable housing. We're looking for tutors for our children and employers willing to hire our clients. We have a vast network of volunteers and we're hoping that we can increase that network as we're welcoming these folks over the next few months," she said.
Currently, CIRI's top need is in monetary donations, because until they arrive, the exact needs of the refugees are unclear, Schnitzer explained. The second priority would be finding housing, she said, particularly individual apartments.
IRIS has marked housing as a top priority, since the organization, and CIRI, have partnerships that can provide housing options for short-term periods, IRIS officials stated. The organization is also calling for more volunteers.
The incoming 310 refugees have been fully vetted and vaccinated, Schnitzer stressed along with Governor Ned Lamont and other advocates.
The majority of those coming in already have a status of humanitarian parole, she explained, "which is going to give them, at least right now, two years in this country."
Many voiced their support for these efforts, including Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin who stressed the importance of welcoming the refugees due to their support for America over the past several years.
"We owe a moral obligation to bring to safety and to welcome and to support the Afghan men and women and families who worked and served side by side by our men and women in uniform and by our diplomats and our allies," he said.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal also expressed his support for the state's plan to welcome the refugees.
“I’ll be working aggressively for federal funds to support vital resettlement efforts for Afghan refugees, including resources for housing, jobs, health care, counseling, and other services," Blumenthal said in a written statement.
For more information on the resettlement efforts, including how to help, visit CIRICT.org or IRISCT.org.
