As the largest refugee resettlement agency in the state and fourth largest in the nation, Samaritas has resettled thousands of people from dozens of countries. Our Unaccompanied Refugee Minor Program serves youth who flee from war, violence or persecution in dozens of countries. By the time they get to the United States, they’ve been separated from and often lost contact with parents and other family members who can care for them and have often suffered great traumas – and they’re not even 18 years old.
Samaritas currently cares for 123 unaccompanied minors in foster care or in group homes who emigrated to this country without an adult to guide them. They are part of the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program, which has cared for youth from foreign lands in America without adult relatives for decades. More than half of the youth are Refugee Minors; those who were given permission prior to entering America prior to arrival, and the other minors arrived here and then were given permission to remain.
In light of recent events at the United States southern border, they are waiting for federal approval to reinstate their Transitional Foster Care program. If approved, they will care for as many as 60 more children waiting at our southern border who have been separated from their parents. Transitional foster care is designed to provide temporary care while family members within the USA are identified, assessed, and approved to provide the care for these children. The children will then be reunified with those family members.
You can help Samaritas today by offering one or more of these services:
♦ Become a Refugee Foster Parent
♦ Offer Transitional Foster Care
♦ Become a Host Home
♦ Become a Mentor
♦ Offer Tutoring
♦ Be an Interpreter
♦ Give Donations
“We’re more than safe harbor in crisis, we come through, when others don’t, with a path home. We connect all people based on their individual circumstances with the families and communities that will empower them to live their fullest life possible. Please for the sake of these children – Help us make those connections today and together we can meet our mission of Serving people as an expression of the love of Christ.”
Some specific needs the local Samaritas has highlighted are gift cards for groceries to help their older kids who are transitioning to independence. Also, their group homes can use twin bedding, as they give each youth their bedding set (sheets, comforters, etc.) when they leave the home as a gift.
Christmas and Holiday gifts are a special donation need this time of year. Since the transitional program is still paused due to the situation at the border, most of their youth are older and could use apartment supplies, warm clothes/hats/gloves/scarves, but also fun gifts like art supplies, makeup, or fun sports equipment (they almost all love soccer!)