It is just a brief mention in an otherwise unremarkable news bit from a TV news station in Twin Falls, Idaho. This is what I want you to see at KTBV.com (donations pour in, but not volunteers):
Volunteer Coordinator Jenny Reese says much of the recent donations have come from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, after the church made a call to action.
Reese says more than books and bikes, the program still needs local volunteers to befriend the refugees who have lost their homes and cultures.
Here are some simple truths about the volunteer situation for most refugee resettlement contractors.
First, they have a very hard time retaining volunteers and the biggest reason I’ve heard for that is that many refugees (especially Muslims) do not show any appreciation for volunteers who drive them to appointments or otherwise help them. I have heard time and again about how rudely refugees treat good-hearted Christians who attempt to befriend them.
And, secondly, you need to know that the contractors (in this case the College of Southern Idaho) are desperate for volunteers because they log the volunteer hours and the federal government places a monetary value on the volunteer’s time which becomes the contractor’s ‘contribution’ in the supposed public-private partnership with the federal government. Oh, and those books and bikes also get a monetary value placed on them and count as a contribution from the contractor.
I think some volunteers catch on to this as they donate their time and their gas money to drive (often ungrateful) refugees around. So, the volunteer turnover is pretty high (or so I am told).
Indeed the shortage of volunteers is ample evidence that this program would crash and burn if it wasn’t so heavily funded by taxpayer dollars.
P.S. If you are considering volunteering be sure to get a briefing on the communicable diseases coming to the US with the refugees so as best protect your family.