Nonprofit worries after international assist is paused
FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo reviews on a Clearwater nonprofit discovering this week it’ll now not obtain federal grant cash to assist the hundreds of refugees and immigrants they serve, placing dozens of employees prone to furloughs or layoffs following the president’s government order on international assist.
CLEARWATER, Fla. – A Clearwater nonprofit found this week it’ll now not obtain federal grant cash to assist the hundreds of refugees and immigrants they serve, placing dozens of employees prone to furloughs or layoffs following the president’s government order on international assist.
Households being reunited at TPA.
“We have now people who’re coming from refugee camps world wide, U.N. Excessive Commissioner for Refugees camps,” mentioned Elke Cumming Friday, the Senior Vice President of Applications and Administration at Gulf Coast Jewish Household and Group Companies.
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Reuniting households
Dig deeper:
Households not too long ago reunited with refugees at Tampa Worldwide Airport, trying to begin a brand new life with the assistance of Gulf Coast JFCS.
Cumming mentioned the federal grants they use to assist refugees are actually out after receiving a regarding e-mail from a federal contractor this week.
Electronic mail from a federal contractor to Gulf Coast JFCS.
“We’re a subcontractor by means of HIAS, and so they obtained it final Friday. We obtained the notification on Monday morning,” mentioned Cumming.
What refugees obtain
Refugees obtain $1,300 per particular person to final them their first 90 days within the U.S. as a part of Gulf Coast JFCS’ resettlement and placement providers.
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The nations from which the refugees embody Sudan, Congo, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Myanmar.
Households being reunited at TPA.
Gulf Coast JFCS has helped to resettle about 3,000 immigrants over the past two years.
“All of the fundamentals of lease and meals and fundamental wants like toothpaste, toothbrushes, no matter you need to fundamental on a regular basis life comes out of that little little bit of funding, which isn’t sufficient,” mentioned Cumming about what the cash helps present for.
What the Gulf Coast JFCS receives
Cumming mentioned they’ve obtained about $700,000 in numerous federal grants from HIAS.
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The grants for refugee resettlement are on pause for 90 days following President Trump’s government order on “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Overseas Assist.”
The Trump Administration did rescind components of the order, however Cumming mentioned that doesn’t embody the piece that immediately impacts refugees and particular immigrant visa holders that Gulf Coast JFCS serves.
Shifting ahead
What’s subsequent:
So, the nonprofit is weighing how one can transfer ahead.
“Very fastidiously and really thoughtfully. We have now 170 people that simply arrived right here within the nation throughout the previous couple of months that also must have care and orientation,” Cumming mentioned.
Up till now, federal grants reimbursed them for cash they spent on refugee providers. Within the meantime, they’ll depend upon donations and deliveries from their want listing.
“That request actually simply went out yesterday, and we have already crammed two carloads of donations going again to assist arrange these households that simply arrived,” mentioned Cumming a couple of supply the workplace obtained Friday.
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Whereas they wait out what is going to occur throughout the pause over the following 90 days, employees are within the fray, too.
“Inside our refugee providers, we’ve roughly 50 workers. Ten of them are in speedy peril, after which all 50 are very nervous, understandably so,” Cumming mentioned.
They’re prone to being furloughed or laid off, however Gulf Coast JFCS is set to maintain their salaries flowing.
“We have made a dedication to them to work with them so long as we are able to and attempt to maintain it as secure as we are able to,” mentioned Cumming. “As a result of we all know with out them, we do not have the programming and the help to assist the households that we’re welcomed into this group.”
The Supply: FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo collected the knowledge on this story.
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