There are about a thousand refugees living in Orange County today – all of them trying to make their way in an unfamiliar country after fleeing violence and oppression half a world away. Where can they turn for support?

Located just off Highway 54 in Carrboro, the Refugee Support Center offers a wide variety of services for refugees seeking new lives in our community. The Center is not an official refugee resettlement agency; rather, its mission is to offer long-term aid to refugees beyond the “resettlement” period. (The U.S. State Department has a “Reception and Placement” program, but it’s only allowed to offer services for three months.) Director Flicka Bateman says the center offers citizenship classes, help with paperwork, help accessing public services including health care, housing assistance, transportation assistance, and much more.

Last month, the center was honored by the North Carolina Peace Corps Association for its work with refugees in our community. The PCA gave its annual Peace Prize to the Center at an event on February 27.

Flicka Bateman spoke about the Center’s work with Aaron Keck this week on WCHL.

 

Most of the recent media attention surrounding refugees has focused on the Syrian crisis, but Bateman says the vast majority of refugees in Orange County are from Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Find out more about how you can volunteer to help the Refugee Support Center. (Donations are also welcomed.)

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