We value partnering with our community to warmly welcome our refugee neighbors, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued outpouring of care from communities all over Oregon. Through the generous giving of in-kind donations, our staff has been able to respond to the needs of newly arrived families in meaningful ways.

In the last few months, we’ve provided support from our Immediate Assistance to families from 17 countries, including:

• Single mother from the Democratic Republic of the Congo with her young daughter
• Family of six from Sudan, with their three sons
• Parents to three children from Afghanistan, joined by the father’s parents
• Mother and her teenage son from Ukraine
• Family of four from Indonesia with their two young children
• Family of four from Syria with their two sons

An Afghan family of seven arrived in Portland earlier this year, with the youngest child only five months old. The mother studied engineering in school, before leaving Afghanistan. The parents have relatives in Oregon who were previously resettled and are currently served by Refugee Care Collective. We responded to this family immediately, taking an assessment of needs in order to provide essential support. From coordinating the delivery of twin beds for the kids to providing the staple items they needed in their home, to getting the kids set up for school, this response eased this family’s transition as they continue the process of adjusting to life in the United States.

While this family has a long journey ahead, we are grateful they are safe in Oregon, that both the girls and boys will have access to education, and that the family is surrounded with people who care.

Although resettlement is filled with significant challenges for our new neighbors, they continue to inspire us with their resilient hope and extraordinary courage.