RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – World Refugee Day on Thursday was dedicated to refugees around the globe, recognizing the strength and courage of people forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. Over the years, Rutland is among Vermont communities that have hosted refugees, and officials say more are likely on their way this fall.
Rutland is preparing to welcome more new faces to the Marble City.
“Part of my initiative is to make Rutland a more welcoming place for everyone,” said Rutland Mayor Mike Doenges. He says what a few years ago was viewed by some as a controversial decision, has evolved. “If we look at the past, I think there was hesitation with refugees but it was less about refugees coming to Rutland and more about the way we were going to manage that program.”
The city in 2016 welcomed Syrian families, a decision some say was made without enough public input, and cost former Mayor Christopher Louras his seat. Since then, the community has welcomed dozens of refugees from Afghanistan.
“Vermont’s always been a welcoming state, and we’ve had a long history of resettling refugees, and in the past it’s been in the greater Burlington area,” said Molly Gray with the Vermont Afghan Alliance. She says they will do whatever they can to help ensure a smooth transition for new families escaping violence. “Until families are reunified — especially in the Afghan community, where many men remain here on their own, disconnected from their loved ones — resettlement isn’t fully realized, and we still have a lot of work to do to make sure that happens.”
Federal officials have been planning to resettle refugees in Rutland for years with a goal of 100 in the upcoming fiscal year. But finding housing for these families remains a concern. “When I was a kid, the challenge was finding opportunities to create new jobs. Now, it’s finding housing so people can fill the jobs,” Doenges said.
“What we know is that we still have to figure out housing. We still need to figure out the rural transportation pieces, adding in some English language instruction, which opens up the door to even more job opportunities,” Gray said.
Some of the more than a dozen refugees have already made an impact. At McNeil & Reedy, a downtown clothing store, owner Casey McNeil says a new arrival he hired has provided valuable skills. “We had a posting for three years for a tailor — it’s sort of a dying skill here in New England — and he came to us with years of experience and he’s been really great,” he said.
Federal officials are planning for 40 more refugees to be in Vermont by the start of October, many coming from Afghanistan, South America, and Africa.