Since 2021 and 2022, Oregon has received hundreds of families from Afghanistan and Ukraine. It quickly became clear that housing would be a struggle for many families.

We are proud to share that through our partnership with Oregon Department of Human Services, Refugee Care Collective has provided housing assistance to nearly 90 families who have fled war and violence these last couple years. From large families with young children, to single mothers from Ukraine whose husbands have yet to join them here, this support has come at a time where many have faced overwhelming financial strain.

As a multitude of families arrived in such a short period of time, many were initially placed in apartments with rent that was difficult to afford long-term. We have provided support to a number of families with finding housing they can afford.

Here’s a glimpse of a few of the families we’ve provided support to:

• An Afghan father experienced a significant reduction in his work hours which led to him not being able to afford rent for his family. As he worked to find sufficient income that would support his wife and daughter, we provided a safety net of support.

• A family of nine from Ukraine were experiencing significant hardship. The father’s minimum wage job wasn’t providing adequate income and his wife needed to stay home with their baby. The older children were attending English classes while looking for work. We provided months of rental assistance which aided this family tremendously in their journey of rebuilding.

• A family of seven from Afghanistan had fallen behind on their rent, having a difficult time adjusting to life in Oregon. We were able to respond with full and partial rental payments, providing additional assistance with employment and quarterly Restock Kits.

• A Ukrainian mother and her two daughters had to move to be closer employment opportunities. We were able to help them secure a new apartment, and with three months of rental assistance, this gave the mother time to find a job that would provide for them. In addition to this, one of the daughters was paired with a youth mentor for additional support.

As we’ve extended this assistance, we’ve seen firsthand how impactful it can be for those who are in need of this support. As parents have faced unemployment or loss of work hours, or significant medical crises, there has been a safety net in the form rental assistance.

Thank you to Oregon Department of Human Services for their partnership in this work. We are grateful to have the opportunity to respond in this way, as families move forward on their journey to self-sufficiency.