Yesterday we had a comment from Cindy (an American friend of the Burmese) writing from Bowling Green, KY. For new readers you might want to first visit this post that set in motion a controversy last month about the care, or lack of care, Burmese refugees are receiving from their resettlement agency in an obviously overloaded refugee resettlement community in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
This is what Cindy asks yesterday in response to a post about the Office of Refugee Resettlement Match Grant program, here.
Recently, one refugee family in Bowling Green, KY was placed on Match Grant by the International Center.
They will receive $460.00. $240.00 is cash and the other $220.00 is a Walmart gift card. This is how the International Center will distribute the $$ from the Match Grant monthly. They are receiving Food Stamps. Why would International Center give them a Walmart Gift card in lieu of the $460.00 cash?
They said the International Center has not helped them to locate a job. They have been communicating with other refugees to locate employment.
Lovers Lane Apartments is charging $500.00 per month in their uncleaned roach infested apartments which needs to be turned into the Housing Authority once again.
I wonder how is this refugee family will come up with the $500.00 for rent in January? Will Lovers Lane apartments evict them immediately (from what I am told by other refugees) or will they go through the legal process for eviction by Kentucky law.
Answers anyone? What’s up with the Walmart cards? Do Walmart and the International Center have some sort of deal going on? And, on the rent coming due issue, maybe the refugees could better use their entire ‘cash’ payment for rent? Any lawyers out there who could help them with making sure Kentucky law is followed regarding evictions?
I know it makes no sense but it’s almost like the US State Department and the US Dept. of Health and Human Services (Office of Refugee Resettlement) and the volags (supposedly voluntary organizations but really federal contractors) want this program to explode because that is where it’s headed! Eventually even the mainstream media will see behind the presumption of good intentions.