Emergency fund drive helping to resettle refugees as 90-day federal review nears end

Recently resettled refugees are getting a helping hand through an emergency fund drive created by local nonprofit Thrive.

These resettled refugees, who were screened and approved to come to the United States, are usually serviced by appointed resettlement agencies in the Pittsburgh area.

Thrive, a 501(c)3 organization under the umbrella of North Hills Community Baptist Church on Thompson Run Road in Ross, regularly assists these resettlement agencies with making ends for recently arrived refugees.

However, the need is now even greater as the federal government put a pause on funding to these agencies.

“We put an Emergency Fund drive together to help support those refugees who are stuck in the pipeline of resettlement. (as) they are already here. But their 90 days promised funding has been cut by the executive order,” said Thrive director Pauline Spring.

Thrive is made up of groups, churches and individuals in northern Pittsburgh, and doesn’t rely on government funding, but private donors and e-crowdsourcing.

The four Pittsburgh-area resettlement agencies that assist new residents include Jewish Family and Community Services, Hello Neighbor, Bethany Christian Services, and Acculturation for Justice, Access, And Peace Outreach or AJAPO.

The agencies are contracted to provide services to newly arrived refugees in the first 90 days with housing, jobs, schools, medical care and more.

Thrive works with some of these agencies to fill in the gaps when there’s a need for more funding or services, Spring said.

A Jan. 20 executive order, titled “Realigning the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program,” suspends the resettlement refugee program with further entry into the United States until the program aligns with the interests of the United States, according to whitehouse.gov.

The purpose of the executive order states that the U.S. has been “inundated with record levels of migration, including through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program,” for the past four years.

The federal government is reviewing the program for 90 days, according to the order.

In the meantime, Thrive currently is supporting 11 families in various ways, such as helping set up medical appointments and transportation to those appointments, helping with income taxes, paying bills and setting up a checking account. They help find employment and suitable, affordable apartments.

The most recent family Thrive assisted is their largest yet, a family of 11 from Syria, which includes nine children. They took a bike to the oldest boy so he can buy groceries for his family, among other things, Spring said.

“When a mother of nine is moved to tears when you present her child with a bike or her children with clothes, you know you are doing the right thing. After all, it could be any one of us. We were just fortunate enough to be born in the United States,” said Thrive volunteer Kathleen Ganster.

In the past few months, Thrive has received calls to help provide beds and other furniture that agencies could not purchase for their clients, Spring said.

“For example, one couple who are actual Green Card holders did not ask for beds for their children because they thought that they would somehow be found and reported to ICE. The kids were sleeping on the floor, but it wasn’t well insulated and it was cold, so we brought two twin beds, bedding and a couch and dining table to them a few weeks ago,” Spring said.

When a family was told their agency couldn’t pay their rent for March, Thrive sent a check to their landlord. When the family couldn’t get a checking account set up because of a delay in their Social Security card, Thrive representatives went accompanied them to a Cash Express to pay their utilities, she said.

Hello Neighbor, AJAPO and JFCS estimated a $672,000 fund in shortfall due to the federal stop work order, according to a Feb. 21 news release from Allegheny County. The county is pledging $224,000 to help fill the funding gap for these organizations and was working with the Pittsburgh mayor and philanthropic partners to find matching dollars to fund the remaining $448,000.

Spring said there has been no change in the executive order from when it was issued in January.

“So, we have to wait until April 21, if it happens then,” said Spring, referring to the end of the 90 days review.

Thrive is accepting donations at www.thrivepittsburgh.org/donate for the emergency fund, which is helping refugees who are “caught in limbo” by the executive action to cut funding to refugee resettlement organizations, said Pauline Spring, director of Thrive.

Physical items also can be donated to these families. The most requested items are used TVs in good condition with a working remote and USB port. Also, Roku sticks would help connect with Wi-Fi connection allowing refugees access to channels and apps on their television for English learning and to entertain preschool children. Gently-used clothing for children 2 to 18 always is welcome, as well as toys for preschool children, Spring said.

These types of in-kind donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at North Hills Community Baptist Church, 7801 Thompson Run Road, in Ross.

An International Cookie Sale for Easter is now underway, benefiting three immigrant bakers from Afghanistan, Syria and Ukraine. Preorders are being accepted online at www.thrivepittsburgh.org through April 12.

An associate pastor at the North Hills church and a member of the steering committee for Thrive said their work is guided by their faith and to help their neighbors in need.

“I think it’s important to know that no matter what the situation is, we will continue to do our work,” the pastor said.