The Community, City and County Welcoming  Refugees to Charlottesville

The State has refugee programs to help in resettlement. How are the City, County and nonprofits working to implement them? How are The City, County and non-profits  preparing for the next influx of refugees?  We don’t necessarily know where they will come from, but they will come.  How is, or can, the community at large helping or might help?  These topics were discussed at the meeting.

The panel was moderated by Sue Friedman and the distinuished panelist are:

Harriet Kuhr is the executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Charlottesville and Richmond.  She joined the IRC in 2004, first working with the IRC in Atlanta before taking her current position in 2010.  A graduate of the University of Virginia, her previous professional experience includes more than 20 years working in the field of international cultural exchange.

Kari Anderson Miller founded International Neighbors in 2015. Kari has been a local educator for 17 years. During that time, she gained valuable insight into the lives of refugee students and their families, who had been resettled to Charlottesville from 31 countries.

 

Sue Moffett has served as director of Charlottesville Social Services since May 2021 and has more than 30 year’s experience in public social services, including various roles in Alexandria City, Albemarle County and Charlottesville Departments of Social Services.

 

Sam Spencer is the Self-Sufficiency program manager with Albemarle County Department of Social Services. He has been employed with Albemarle County Social Services since 2014. Sam currently oversees mandated and nonmandated employment service programs with Albemarle County. Under the umbrella of Self-Sufficiency also resides childcare subsidy services, Virginia Career Works satellite office and Albemarle Career Center.

 Program Summary

The panel discussed the successes and challenges of refugees and the programs attempting to meet the shared goal of refugees become self-sufficient members of their communities. NBC29 news coverage of the program can be viewed at

https://www.nbc29.com/2022/12/14/senior-statesmen-virginia-meet-with-organizations-discuss-needs-refugees/

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