At this critical moment, 65.6 million women, children, and men live forcibly displaced by violence from their homes, including 22.5 million refugees who have fled across the border of their homeland to another country into situations often only slightly more sustainable than the horrors they have fled. One of nine federally-recognized agencies resettling refugees in the U.S., EMM’s work is vital to Jesus’ call to “welcoming the stranger” and alleviate human suffering. As the Trump administration continues pushing to limit — and temporarily block entirely — the admission of refugees into the United States, difficult choices have been made for the health of the overall EMM network and for the well-being of the refugees served.
Six offices have not been included in the resettlement 2018 plan submitted to the U.S. government, and the affiliate network of 31 has been reduced to 25. Much of the funding that comes from the federal government is calculated on the number of refugees coming to the United States, so when refugees cannot enter the U.S., resettlement agencies, receive far less federal money than anticipated. The reduction also makes it harder to provide ongoing services to refugees already resettled in the U.S. It’s important for EMM to maintain a strong support system where refugees are resettled where it is safe, where it’s affordable, and where opportunity is given to them to thrive as new Americans. General operating support is needed to cover the federal government’s cuts of more than $500,000, as well as maintain its existing infrastructure.
To learn more about funding needs and how you can help, contact T.J. Houlihan in the Office of Development or call (212) 716-6271.
