| This past week 4 of us from town delivered household items, furniture and clean winter clothing to new families who were overjoyed. We have also been purchasing gift cards for food for families. If you can help these parents and children, please read on. Thank you. (If you have any questions you can call Marcy at 802-345-3626.)
There is another new family resettling in Rutland this week. That makes over 50 people who now live in Rutland, along with 20+ Afghans who came to Rutland after the US pulled out of Afghanistan. Families of 5 who have been living as refugees for 12 years, have come here with 5 bags; their entire life's belongings. Most families need everything to get started in their new lives.
Of course, this also means we are also asking you amazing people to help once again.
Jennie's note (below) describes a little bit of why families need our help - not only as volunteers (which so many of you are - hooray) but also financially. So once again, we are asking for donations of:
Gift Cards
Visa cards are best
Price Chopper
Walmart
Kids Winter Coats
Adult Winter Boots (in good condition)
Kids Winter Boots (in good condition)
New Socks and Underwear for Kids and Adults
You can mail gift cards directly to
USCRI-Rutland
65 North Main Street
Unit 1A
Rutland, VT 05701
The office is also the place to drop off coats, etc - USCRI-Rutland is on the second floor - although you may want to email Jennie (Jgartner@uscrimail.org) ahead of time to make sure someone is in the office when you arrive. If you need a tax receipt for your donation, email Jennie and she will send you one.
Thank you so much for your continuing support!
Carol Tashie
for Rutland Welcomes
FROM JENNIE:
New family this week with two kids
Another new family before the end of November; I but I do not have a travel date yet.
As soon as they hit the tarmac, their money starts to be spent. Groceries, toiletries, and anything that is not a chair, a cup, or a mattress (you get the idea) is taken from their initial Resettlement and Placement money (which is supposed to be used for their first, last, and security.
People are challenged when trying to open bank accounts because they do not have the proper ID. Social Security cards and Employment Authorization Documents are being delayed longer than 6 months. Many of you volunteers know this because you have taken our clients to the SSA office to reapply!
Clients are having trouble getting hired at jobs which depletes the small amount of funds that USCRI/State of Vermont/Federal government provides for them. Language barriers and lack of identification (due to backups in federal offices like SSA, Department of State, etc.) are issues - even though they are 100% legal to work as soon as they get off the plane. Many employers do not want to employ non-English speakers and require every single piece of official identification for their e-verify programs (the government verifies that people are legal to work) and will not take anything else (i.e. will not accept proof that the Employment Authorization Document is coming; they require the actual ID itself).
If you know of employers who are willing to work with our clients and know what it means to do that (in terms of language, paperwork, and transportation barriers), I am happy to talk to those employers.
And like every working poor person in America, once people make a tiny bit of money, they start to lose state benefits. I have a family of 3 with rent of $1200 a month. The father makes $17 an hour (and works as much OT as he can) while the mother just got hired ($16) an hour and they are broke. As just one example.
So having Visa cards, Walmart cards, and Price Chopper cards (walkable from people's houses) make a huge difference in helping people stretch their budgets.
We are also in need of:
-kids winter coats (all sizes)
-kids and adult winter boots in clean and good condition (all sizes)
-new socks and underwear (kids and adults) |
