From left, Gordon Harris, Linda Harris, Rev. Lucille Fritz and Robert Margolies, members of the Valley Refugee Resettlement Project, pose in front of Huntington Congregational Church, in Shelton, Conn. May 13, 2022.
Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut MediaSHELTON — A refugee family may soon be coming to town through the Valley Refugee Resettlement project, which was established in May by Huntington Congregational Church - United Church of Christ.
The group recently submitted an application to Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services of New Haven to receive a refugee family after raising the minimum $12,000 needed to qualify to be a community co-sponsor, officials said.
Approval is expected shortly, at which time a newly arrived and fully vetted refugee family will be assigned to the Shelton-based Project.
“We’ve an amazing group of volunteers who are eager to start,” said Rev. Lucille Fritz, the Huntington pastor. “However, we still need to raise additional funds. Therefore, we created a GoFundMe account and hope the community will support it.”
A family can be assigned any time during the weeks following approval, said co-chair Rich Knoll. The Project has organized volunteers to handle all aspects of the resettlement, such as identifying temporary housing while an apartment is found, leased and outfitted with furniture and household goods that have been collected and stored.
Education team volunteers will help enroll the children in Shelton Public Schools and adults into Valley Adult Education Center English as a second language classes. Family finance team volunteers will help the family to create a budget, shop, and acquire the essentials.
Health, cultural orientation and transportation teams have equally important roles, Knoll said. The employment team has reached out to the Chamber of Commerce and local employers about entry-level opportunities, because adult family members will be expected to gain employment after a short period of culturalization.
The timing of the IRIS approval will depend on the organization's evaluation of the Project’s readiness, which includes the availability of suitable rentals, the sufficiency of financial resources, and the availability of interpreters to help with communication.
Gordon Harris, housing team leader, said he feels that locating and leasing a two- or three-bedroom apartment in central Shelton accessible to public transportation is key to success. He is interested in speaking with landlords who would be willing to consider coordinating a lease with the Project. He said a federal stipend and private funds will ensure prompt rent payment.
For more information, contact Harris at 203-605-5233.
The Project is also recruiting interpreters. Area residents who speak Pashto, Farsi, Dari, Arabic or Turkish interested in volunteering can contact Rich Knoll at rknoll@snet.net. Local residents or businesses interested in supporting the effort in other ways can reach out through the "volunteers needed" section on the Valley Refugee Resettlement Project page on the church's website, huntingtonucc.org. A Project volunteer will follow up.
brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com