Directly on the heels of the expose in the Salt Lake City Tribune about federal contractors not fullfilling their contracts for resettling refugees comes a story from Memphis, TN that Catholic Charities must not be doing its job there. The volags (supposedly voluntary agencies) sign a contract with the federal government to supply basic needs when refugees are sent to resettle in one of their territories.
From the sound of this Catholic Charities isn’t helping them find jobs either (another contractual requirement):
The refugees face daunting challenges when they first arrive, Slover (Methodist Community leader) said. Many of them are sponsored by Catholic Charities, which provides plane tickets and a place for them to live after they arrive. But after that they are on their own to find furnishings and a job and adjust to life.
And, besides Catholic Charities doesn’t give them a plane ticket, you do, as a taxpayer. It is supposed to be a loan, but the volags get to keep 25% of what they collect from the refugee.
Just basic things these refugees didn’t get—the same old story:
“They greatly appreciate whatever they can get,” Slover said. He described the first time he helped deliver a couch, bed and stove to a large family that had only a microwave and a few kitchen chairs in their apartment.
“They were so excited to get the stuff, and the grandmother came up and hugged me,” Slover said.
Read the rest of the story here.