Reuters Photo
Welcoming and giving support to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrant workers from all countries.
Established in 2015, the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network (CVRAN) is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Montpelier and dedicated to making our communities welcoming, safe places for refugees, as well as asylum seekers, and migrant workers from any nation. Our mission is to help these new Vermonters to settle, work, and thrive in Central Vermont. In welcoming them, we see how they greatly enrich our own cultural and economic lives.
RESETTLEMENT OF AFGHAN REFUGEES
Many Afghans and their families who helped the U.S. in Afghanistan during the war were evacuated by U.S. forces in August when the Taliban came to power. CVRAN is working with the Vermont branch of the U.S. Committee on Refugees and Immigrants – USCRI - resettling a number of Afghan families in the Montpelier area.
CVRAN, in partnership with USCRI, is assisting with locating and facilitating both short-term and more permanent housing, primarily in rental apartments and houses. Direct hands-on support includes moving and house set-up, obtaining material goods such as clothing and furniture, and orientation to the Montpelier community. CVRAN volunteers support the Afghan families located here with transportation, for example to medical appointments, shopping and religious services. Volunteers have helped register children in the local schools, adults in basic English language classes, opened bank accounts and will help in the future with obtaining drivers’ licenses, and employment. A goal is self-sufficiency. CVRAN will continue to support our guests until they are able to support themselves.
We need your help!
Volunteer! Donate!CVRAN March Arts Marathon 2022
Thanks to all 50 artist participants and the 1000 donations from sponsors for the great success of the 2022 March Arts Marathon which raised the amazing amount of $68,000, bringing in almost twenty thousand more dollars than this same event last year. This sizable sum will greatly help with the support of refugees and asylum seekers throughout the coming year, for living expenses; legal, medical, and educational expenses, and transportation costs. It is the main source of income for CVRAN.
Scroll through sample work from two years of marathon art submissions by hitting "Gallery" in the menu bar. Writers, painters, poets, quilters, musicians, and more sent out a piece of work each day, usually via email, and often with commentary. What a lovely connection that makes with others at the end of the day.
Would you like to get involved next year? Watch for a chance to sign up as either an artist or as a sponsor for an artist starting next January. This marathon is not only an avenue for contributions to CVRAN, it is also a chance to be part of an artistic community. You can join in!
Click Here to View a List of our Participants and DONATE! Click Here to View the March Arts Marathon 2022 Final GalleryA BIG thank you to our underwriters who have made the March Arts Marathon possible:
Arne and Deborah AbramowitzSam and Michele Clark
Darryl Bloom
Anonymous
Anonymous
News
- Letter From the CVRAN President: Sugar in Milk: Afghan Refugees
September 29, 2022 - Winter Needs
September 21, 2022 - Wonderfully Successful Fundraiser for New School in Sudan
September 15, 2022
From Facebook
Do you know any lawyers who'd like to work pro bono to help an asylum seeker? But maybe that person needs more context and information as to the best practices for the current times? This new organization is seeking to assist and support lawyers who would like to give support this meaningful work. caspvt.org/VAAP/?fbclid=IwAR34nyBBJbXKSURN7KCL9VeHIs1QtRHerC4owO_SDtbtnxFz6Z99trbd1i0
vaap – Community Asylum Seekers Project
caspvt.org
VAAP will serve as a resource center to recruit, train, mentor, and support pro bono attorneys to provide free immigration services to asylum-seekers in Vermont. Make a difference by helping us to pro...
Migrant Justice and its Milk with Dignity program have played a key role in moving forward the lived experiences of Vermont's farm workers. Find out how here:
migrantjustice.net
Refugee turned resettlement director now an award-winning Vermonter - VTDigger
vtdigger.org
Joe Wiah — who grew up in the African republic of Liberia, fled its civil war and has gone on to head a support organization for Afghan arrivals in Bennington and Windham counties — is set to rece...
Phil Scott doesn’t expect unannounced migrants but makes ‘contingency plans’ - VTDigger
vtdigger.org
“We want to welcome as many people as we can into the state. We think that's part of the answer. But we'd like to have a little bit of lead time in order to accomplish that,” the governor said.
Good to see successes in other parts of our state as well. vtdigger.org/2022/09/18/afghan-refugees-in-bennington-county-rebuild-their-lives-with-community-s...
Afghan refugees in Bennington County rebuild their lives with community support - VTDigger
vtdigger.org
The county is now home to over two dozen Afghans, who are adapting to the U.S. with the assistance of volunteers who teach them English, help set up doctor’s appointments and give driving lessons.