WHY WE’RE HERE:
THE PROBLEM The agencies tasked with supporting refugees resettling in the United States are understaffed and underfunded. Reductions of the annual refugee admissions cap - and accompanying further reduction in federal funding - exacerbates this problem. Public services intended to assist refugees are disappearing on a national scale.
In California alone, 11 of 28 resettlement agencies have closed in the last 3 years and the remaining can only provide support for a limit of 90 days. Despite dwindling funding, refugees, many of whom worked for the US military in their home countries, continue to arrive for resettlement. In 2019, 30,000 refugees moved to the U.S. through the Federal Refugee Resettlement Program, fleeing war, persecution, and violence in their home countries. These families come to the US with multiple young children (50% of the families we serve have more than 2 children under age 5), speaking limited English, and carrying trauma and loss. They are often housed in empty or sparsely furnished apartments, lacking adequate resources to meet their most basic needs. Their vulnerability is compounded in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, when many do not have the resources to safely isolate, work, and continue their education from home. Miry’s List provides essential needs like beds, diapers, and cleaning supplies for resettling families. We also rally neighbors to welcome families with warmth and open arms, creating spaces for cultural exchange and mutual learning. This community infrastructure has proven essential, allowing Miry’s List to mobilize quickly for the vital needs of our families.
We don't need allies. We need accomplices. 13
MIRY’S LIST ANNUAL REPORT 2019
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MIRYSLIST.ORG
