Canopy has been instructed to abandon the refugee families who arrived in the last three months.
We won’t abandon refugees in our community.
–January 27th 2025, A Message from Joanna Krause, Executive Director of Canopy NWA
Dear Friends,
On Friday, the Presidential Administration issued a stop work order for the Refugee Resettlement Reception and Placement Program. This program provides ALL services to refugees during their first weeks in the United States for up to 90 days. The federal government, and in turn Canopy, promised the 25 refugee families we welcomed during the last three months that we would provide navigation services and assistance for 90 days. These families followed every step of the complex and lengthy legal resettlement process after being forced to flee their home. Now, we have been instructed to abandon them, effective immediately. For the new refugees in our community, we are not supposed to help them get groceries. We are not supposed to help them with housing. If someone is sick, we should not help them go to the doctor.
This directive comes as a complete shock. There is no precedent for the federal government to stop assistance to people who followed every legal process, who are already in our community.
The amount of funding provided to support one refugee for up to 90 days is $1,650. That goes to pay the first month’s rent and deposit for an apartment and to buy any home furnishings that aren’t donated. Refugees arrive with all their belongings in the world in one or two suitcases. They need clothing and food. That amount is exceptionally low – especially considering the amount refugees end up paying into communities through taxes and business creation. Now, Canopy cannot use those funds to pay for any direct needs.
Canopy has 25 families – 65 individuals – still within their initial 90 day resettlement period. We will not abandon families in our community. Since Friday’s Stop Work Order, Canopy cannot use the federal dollars awarded to us for initial resettlement, but the Canopy team will not go back on the promise we made to each family at the airport to ensure they are appropriately and safely settled. Canopy will help them get food, shelter, and medical care. But, in order to do this, we need your support NOW.
Actions you can take today:
- Become a monthly donor to Canopy. No amount is too small.
- Host a fundraiser at your home. Email communications@canopynwa.org for our fundraiser info sheet which includes access to ordering locally made Afghan and Syrian food not available anywhere else!
- Forward this link to your friends and family.
To our community, I want you to know that we read each and every email and all the comments on our social media. It is disheartening how ugly and hateful some people can be, especially behind a keyboard. But the vast majority of the messages we receive are words of support. Your words are a gift and are uplifting the Canopy team during this tough time. Keep them coming.
In this together,
Joanna Krause
Great work, Joanna. I’m so glad I get to work with you and so proud of you for making a way out of no way.