Celebrate World Refugee Day with Interfaith Refugee Ministry (IRM)
June 20, 2023
World Refugee Day was first celebrated on June 20, 2001, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. On June 20th, World Refugee Day, we celebrate refugees' contributions to our community and seek to build empathy and understanding for their plight and their resilience to build a bright future.
How many refugees does the U.S. settle each year? Less than ½ of 1% of the world’s refugee population of nearly 32.5 million (2023) is settled in the U.S. each year. For 2022, that number was 24,465. As of the end of April, 24,823 refugees have arrived in the U.S. since October 1, 2022. Interfaith has received 87 individuals in the same time frame and expects to reach 165 by the end of September.
Where do refugees in Eastern NC come from? It depends on the world situation and on IRM’s capacity. Refugees are assigned to Interfaith by Episcopal Migration Ministries which considers many factors such as language availability, affordable housing and availability of employment. Between 2020 and 2023, Interfaith has received refugees from Colombia, Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Central America.
Thank you to all of you who continue to provide IRM with life’s necessities for incoming refugees. We are very grateful for your support. Currently, we are not accepting any clothing. If you have furniture to donate and need a pickup, please call.
Particularly needed are:
- Bar soap
- Pots/pans
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Cleaning supplies
- Digital thermometers
- Paper products
- Shampoo
- Twin, full, and queen sheets and blankets
- Deodorant
- Pillowcases
- Trash bags
- Children’s easy picture books
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Amanda Norwood or (252) 633-9009. Drop off items at 1913 Trent Blvd, New Bern, NC.
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