Editor’s note: This commentary is by George Cross, who lives in Winooski, where he served as superintendent of schools for 12 years. He also served in the Vermont House for 10 years and is currently retired.
[T]here are nine different organizations who contract with the Department of State to manage refugee resettlement programs across the country. Most work in more than one state. Two of the largest are Catholic Charities and the Lutheran Family Services. They do compete on a national level for limited funding to assist with the resettlement programs. They also solicit funding from other sources and coordinate on-the-ground services with numerous local agencies, humanitarian groups and individual volunteers.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) is over 100 years old with 33 resettlement sites in 23 states. They have field offices in several places including Albany, New York; Des Moines, Iowa; Detroit; Erie, Pennsylvania; and the states of North Carolina and Vermont. Prior to USCRI managing the Vermont program the state did so itself. There is still a one-person office in the Agency of Human Services, which assists resettlement across the state and helps to coordinate with the federal government.
In Vermont, refugee students are not a financial drain on the local schools. In fact these students bring a wealth of world knowledge and experience to their classrooms.
Each refugee family or individual has been vetted for roughly 1,000 days before arriving in this country. When they arrive local volunteers help welcome them to their new community as an apartment is found, jobs are located, furniture acquired and many daily routines described and taught. Some refugees come with sophisticated education and skills. Others come with little formal education and limited work experience. Many come from agrarian lifestyles not dissimilar to our early settlers. All come ready to learn, eager to work and with great survival skills. They also arrive with a bill that must be repaid to cover the cost of their airfare here.
Vermont may be the only state in the nation that provides a funding mechanism within its basic education funding specifically for students who have limited English mastery. Other states provide categorical financial aid for these same students. In Vermont the refugee students are not a financial drain on the local schools. In fact these students bring a wealth of world knowledge and experience to their classrooms. They also bring a great desire to learn and achieve.
I have been associated with the resettlement of refugees, both as a school administrator and as a volunteer, for over 25 years. My wife and I have enjoyed our many refugee friends. We have attended parties, weddings and funerals. We have bought groceries at markets owned by refugees, purchased vegetables and some of the best ready-made foods at the farmers market, and have eaten in their restaurants. Two of our refugee friends are now physician assistants – one practicing here in Winooski and one in a rural California community. Many have earned master’s degrees and even doctorates. Several are back in Africa helping to stabilize their home country. Most are citizens and they vote.
Vermont is a welcoming place. Currently we have many open jobs, apartments and houses, and classroom space in our schools. We have good medical facilities. Most importantly, we need more people in our state. Inviting refugee families to our communities is not only logical, it is humane. We are Vermont Strong! Refugees will make us stronger.
