Kansas City has resources to help refugees and evacuees get settled. Here’s where to go
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Kansas City’s Afghan resettlement
When Kansas City announced it would welcome 550 Afghan evacuees, most people expected that would mean finding them decent places to live and getting them back on their feet — but for many, that hasn’t happened
Evacuees have been turned away by landlords and are living in overcrowded and temporary conditions due to failures to properly prepare and delays at the federal level. Some have been living in homes with no heat. Others have been placed in hotels for emergency housing.
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The Kansas City metro is home to three refugee resettlement agencies charged with helping welcome those fleeing war, persecution or danger in other countries.
While Catholic Charities, Della Lamb and Jewish Vocational Services provide the bulk of essential need to individuals and families resettling in Kansas City, including the latest wave of Afghan evacuees, they aren’t the only resources available to our new neighbors.
Learn more about a few of the organizations and programs meant to help ease the transition:
Language Resources
The Kansas City Public Library’s Refugee & Immigrant Services & Empowerment program helps individuals not fluent in English overcome language barriers. The program includes a class called “English for Citizenship” and the “Conversation Club,” a space for practicing English. There are also English programs for more advanced learners, as well as a program centered on English used in vocational trades, such as carpentry.
Global FC, a nonprofit organization operating alongside resettlement agencies, offers English language and academic tutoring to kids whose education has been disrupted. They also have soccer and mentoring programs for kids to meet others in the community and participate in healthy activities. Kids do not have to be enrolled in school to participate. The program has shuttles to transport them to and from programming.
Financial resources
Money Smart Kansas City, a local organization that promotes “financial capability and economic mobility,” offers multi-lingual finance courses for adults.
Employment
New Roots for Refugees, an nonprofit that teaches refugees to start their own small produce farms in the Midwest, was established by Catholic Charities and Cultivate KC in 2008. This year, they have 16 farmers in the program.
Resettlement agencies
- Jewish Vocational Services: info@jvskc.org; 816-471-2808.
- Della Lamb Community Services: help@dellalamb.org; 816-842-8040.
- Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas: 913-621-1504.
This story was originally published November 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
