What You Should Know About the Global Refugee Crisis

by Shari Bombeck

Refugees cannot live in their homes due to war, natural disaster or famine. Being a refugee is not a choice.

Every year, the President and the State Department identify global regions in which people have an exceptional need for protection outside of their home countries. These refugees and asylees are then invited to resettle in the “land of opportunity,” in a nation that cherishes the value of uplifting the oppressed.

With volunteers and community Welcome Teams, LSS-SW builds self-reliant foundations for approximately 1,000 refugees each year.

Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest provide the following services:

• Pre-arrival housing
• Case management
• Navigating transportation and basic public services
• Employment support
• K-12 refugee education services
• Women’s empowerment
• Immigration services

Fewer than 1% of the millions of refugees are resettled every year!  The U.S. had been a moral and economic leader in the resettling of refugees but has reduced the country’s efforts to almost a tenth of the numbers just 2 years ago while the crisis areas have increased. Women and children are the most vulnerable people in these groups and subject to the worst horrors besides homelessness, lack of medical care and starvation.

Charlotte emphasized the need for volunteers with LSS-SW and the need to make our elected representatives step up efforts to help these people.