Anyone dig on InterFaith Works

InterFaith Works brings in 200 afghans to Syracuse, NY which was not on the city list to get 'refugees'

Syracuse to welcome at least 200 Afghans who fled in emergency evacuation

After seeing its refugee resettlement numbers dry up to a trickle during the Trump Administration, InterFaith Works of Syracuse is suddenly preparing to welcome hundreds of refugees from Afghanistan.

“We have people calling us and emailing us almost by the hour saying, 'How can we help?'” said Beth Broadway, President/CEO of InterFaith Works. “People are so giving and so welcoming. We have people who are calling and saying, 'We have children who are adults and out of the house,' and 'We have two bedrooms that are not in use,' and 'We could probably take a mother and father and maybe two children',” Broadway recalled of one offer from a Central New York couple. Broadway calls the generosity “incredible during a very critical time.”

InterFaith Works has been in communication with the U.S. State Department has been given indications that Syracuse can expect as many as 200 Afghans from this first wave of emergency evacuations from the country. Syracuse has already been vetted by the State Department on everything from affordable housing stock to school readiness and more – to be sure it can handle the influx.

“Many of the people who are coming here are under Special Immigrant Visa status, or they were in the media or they have in some way been helpful and vetted by the U.S. military," Broadway said. “These are people who speak English; maybe they worked with the military or they were involved with a company in Afghanistan – they may have been in human resources or something like that. They no longer felt safe because the United States is not there anymore."

MORE: Sen. Schumer asks communities to share interest in accepting Afghan refugees

Starting life over in Syracuse will not be easy, Broadway cautioned. “Most of the time when people come with high-level skills and credentials, those do not directly transfer over when they arrive here. Many of them will take low-level jobs and work their way up,” Broadway said.

Life is about to change for them in huge ways, Broadway indicated. “Refugees come to the United States because they want a better life and my guess is that won’t be any different for these families,” she added.

https://cnycentral.com/news/local/syracuse-to-welcome-at-least-200-afghans-who-fled-in-emergency-evacuation

https://archive.is/qYpvV