Catholic Community Services of Lane County (CCS) has helped more than 50 individuals from other countries settle in Lane County over the past five years. Since October 2021, the CCS Refugee and Immigrant Services Program (RISP) and the Refugee Resettlement Coalition (RRC) have welcomed many Afghans to our community, and expect more to arrive in the coming weeks and months. Many are men who are here without their families, who were not able to evacuate with them.
Have you been looking for a way to support Afghans coming to our community? Finding housing is one of our biggest challenges. We are seeking houses or apartments, including home shares, in Eugene/Springfield for Afghan men being resettled in our community. They are able to pay rent and utilities and will have extensive support, including a case manager, trained advocates, and English language classes if they do not speak English. Some are employed and others are being provided assistance to find employment. All have been vetted by the U.S. government,are vaccinated against Covid-19, and are grateful to be here in Lane County.
If you have or know of a rental, or are able to share space in your home, please contact the Refugee and Immigrant Services Program (RISP), send an email to RISP@ccslc.org. Thank you!
Are you able to provide a financial donation? Catholic Community Services, in partnership with the RRC, provides case management services to Afghan refugees and other refugees and asylum seekers in Lane County. Financial donations from the community help support this work. Go to our Donate page to find out how to make an online donation, or where to mail a check.
Being willing to help a refugee means so much, that you are taking time and making the effort. I encourage you to help them feel like they are survivors, not victims. Don't mention the war; don't remind them of where they are now in their lives. Just introduce yourself and be curious about them. Ask them questions about themselves as you would with anyone who decided to move to your community, instead of having been forced to move. We seek a sense of normalcy, as well as a new start. Nujeen Mustafa Nujeen is a refugee who fled Syria in 2013 during the war and has resettled in Germany. She was the keynote speaker at RRC's 2020 virtual annual fundraising event,
OUR MISSION Mobilize the community to welcome and support refugees and asylum seekers, fostering their well-being and self-sufficiency.
