Covid and the as-yet unresolved threat to democracy are still the number one issues on most of our minds. But those other threats have not vanished, and never too far away from our thoughts.
Turning some attention to some of those very important issues like the well-being of immigrants and refugees, and such. Some of which may bring you great joy. This one from Canopy NWA, for instance.https://www.canopynwa.org/blog
One of the first acts Biden/Harris will take in January of 2021 is a recommitment to refugee resettlement. Such resettlement is designated each year by the executive branch. For the past few decades, the presidential determination has hovered around 75,000 refugees per year.
Tragically, the outgoing president liked to brag at his rallies, “I have reduced refugee resettlement by 85 percent!” Which is fairly accurate, one of the few moments he was telling the truth, just in this case he’s bragging about eviscerating a core value and commitment of our great nation. For the past three years refugee resettlement plummeted, last year hovering around just 12,000 refugees welcomed.
Biden has committed to raising the number to 100,000 per year. Perhaps even higher in future years. On the ground, this means our local refugee resettlement agency, Canopy NWA, will have to ramp up it’s partnership with the State Department and prepare to receive many more refugees than in the last four years.
This is where you come in. One of the first arrivals actually comes next week. And we have need for co-sponsors to come alongside these newly arriving refugees.
A few details:
- Since the first client is a male, we need at least one more male to join the team (currently the team is all female.)
- The first training was yesterday evening, There will be future trainings. We are holding the trainings in-person socially distanced/masked, and we are providing dinner. We are also live streaming it for folks who prefer to attend online. Contact mariah.green@canopynwa.org to participate
Longer term, Canopy is going to need many more co-sponsor teams, so start talking now in your Rotary club or church group or jogging meet-up about the possibility of co-sponsoring a refugee. Finally, if you are reading this from somewhere else in the United States other than Northwest Arkansas, know that Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, along with some of the other resettlement agencies, will likely be looking to open new sites for resettlement. If you think your part of the world has what it takes to be a good neighbor for refugees, drop me a line. I’d love to share with you the process we took to become a resettlement site, and help you connect with others on a similar journey.
Sincerely, Clint Schnekloth, Board President