From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


CWS network resettles 4,775 refugees in FY2007


From "Lesley Crosson" <LCrosson@churchworldservice.org>
Date Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:05:32 -0500


Church World Service network resettles 4,775 refugees in FY2007

November 13, 2007 - Global humanitarian agency Church World Service (CWS) said today that it resettled 4,775 refugees in the United States between October 2006 and September 2007, representing nearly 10 percent of all the refugees who began new lives in the U.S. over the past year.

Church World Service is one of 10 agencies that work with the Department of State to assist refugees when they arrive in the United States. CWS resettles about 8,000 refugees and entrants in the United States each year, and also helps meet the needs of people in protracted refugee situations and refugees returning home.

The new arrivals--from Africa, Indochina, the Near East, the former Soviet Union, and Latin America--are resettling in cities across the U.S. with help from local resettlement agencies, local congregations and other volunteers.

The largest number of refugees resettled by CWS came from Somalia, Burma and Iran, with CWS assisting 1,229 Somalians, 1,188 Burmese and 785 Iranians. The cities receiving the most refugees for resettlement under CWS auspices were Columbus, Ohio (825), Los Angeles (673), and Atlanta, Georgia (215).

Some 35 million people around the world are uprooted from their homes and communities because of persecution and armed conflict.

Through its member denominations and communions, its own resettlement offices and an extensive network of affiliate resettlement agencies throughout the country, the New York-based Church World Service assists new arrivals as they work toward self sufficiency.

The agencyâs community-based program helps newcomers make the transition to American life. Many refugee families resettled by CWS are co-sponsored by local congregations who act as welcoming communities and assist the new arrivals with material needs like job searches, renting and furnishing apartments, school enrollment, and accessing social services.

Media Contacts

Lesley Crosson, (212) 870-2676, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin - 24/7 - (781) 925-1526, jdragin@gis.net


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