Vermont may not receive many Afghan refugees, but state leaders want to be ready if it does.
A rundown on what Vermonters can do to prepare was hosted Tuesday evening by state Rep. Marybeth Redmond, D-Essex, and Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale, D-Chittenden. The event drew a crowd, with so many people attending that the Zoom room was full, and some had to watch the event the following day via Youtube.
Vermont is likely to have fewer Afghan refugees than other states, simply because of the state’s small Afghan population, said Tracy Dolan, director of the state refugee office. In September, Gov. Phil Scott announced the state had requested to host 100 Afghan refugees in Vermont.
If refugees arrive, they will need financial help, English language tutors and winter clothing, according to Dolan and other organizers. Donations would be essential, she said.
“Refugees have the right to choose to come to Vermont or not. We have to respect people’s choice of where they want to go,” said Joe Wiah, director of the Ethiopian community development council’s community development center in Brattleboro.
About 80% of Afghans who come to the U.S. have ties somewhere in the country, Dolan said. Vermont is unlikely to be a popular destination, as refugees often want to be near other people from their home country, she said.
One of the biggest ways people can help is to donate money, said Amela Merdzanovic, director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants in Vermont. When refugees arrive, the U.S. gives each of them a one-time payment of $1,225 to help with rent, food, transportation and other needs.
“You can imagine that doesn’t get one very far,” Merdzanovic said.
Her organization is also looking to recruit English language tutors.
Business people got a briefing from Michelle Ash, vice president of leadership and organizational development at TwinCraft Skincare, based in Winooski. She said nearly a third of her company’s 300-some employees are refugees, asylum seekers or immigrants. Ash encouraged employers to provide fair wages, create opportunities for growth and facilitate connections between employees who immigrated from the same country, so they can feel more comfortable.
When might Vermont expect refugees to arrive, if they’re coming to the state? Hard to say, Merdzanovic said: “We only get a week to 10 days notice” of a refugee’s arrival.
Correction: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect given name for a state representative from Essex. She is Marybeth Redmond.