Refugee Resettlement

& Self-Sufficiency Services

Official refugee status is conferred through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and is just one of many steps in a long and complex process. By the time refugees arrive in Dayton, Ohio, they have been through a rigorous vetting process that typically takes 18 to 24 months.

Among Catholic Social Services’ programs, refugee resettlement has the most dramatic and immediate impact on the lives of those served. With remarkable strength and perseverance, these men, women and children have fled their homes to undertake the long journey to escape persecution, war and violence. On average, refugees wait 10 years before they are relocated to a new country. They are met at the airport after an exhausting trip that may have spanned several continents. They often have little in the way of personal effects after years in refugee camps. They are strangers in a strange land, but they have hope for a new, better life.

UNHCR, the United Nations’ refugee agency, tracks data about refugees and other displaced people worldwide.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CSSMV fit into the resettlement process?

Individuals granted refugee status overseas by the Bureau of Population Refugee and Migration and U.S. Department of Homeland Security are admitted to the U.S. for resettlement. National voluntary resettlement agencies, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and their affiliates, are guided by the U.S. Department of State to provide resettlement services that will help refugees gain self-sufficiency as quickly as possible after arrival in the United States.

As an affiliate of Catholic Charities USA and USCCB, Catholic Social Services of the Miami Valley’s refugee resettlement program is the portal for refugee resettlement services in the greater Dayton area.

Newly arrived refugees in Dayton receive supportive services from CSSMV’s refugee resettlement program for placement in initial furnished housing, a cultural orientation overview, employment assistance and linkage to community resources such as referrals to ESOL services and medical services.

Where do the refugees come from?

In Dayton, most arriving refugees are from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq and Eritrea, with the rest coming primarily from countries in East Africa and the Middle East.

How many refugees does CSSMV resettle in Dayton?

In 2018, our resettlement program served 184 newly arriving refugees, comprising 61 households/families.

We also served 61 “secondary migrants” in 24 households — refugees who voluntarily came to Dayton after initially arriving in other parts of the United States.

What’s the difference between an immigrant and a refugee?

The biggest difference between the two is in their reason for coming to the U.S. Refugees are FORCED to flee their home country, while immigrants CHOOSE to move to a new country.

The United Nations and the United States allow refugees to have protected status. The U.S. permits them to be here through a special visa. They are then expected to get their green card within a year and apply for citizenship after five years.

Are refugees undocumented immigrants?

No.

To be officially classified as a refugee, a person has to flee his or her native country and apply to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for protection and refugee status. There are many subsequent steps before a refugee ever gets to the United States, including extensive vetting by the U.S. government agencies.

By the time they get here, they have been through an 18-24 month screening process and are legally authorized to be resettled in this country. Refugees are subject to the highest level of security checks of any category of traveler to the United States.

What about all the refugees arriving by boat in European countries?

Those individuals and families have fled their home countries, but when they arrive in Europe they are officially undocumented and do not have refugee status.

How can I help?

Thanks for asking!

If you are a local employer or landlord interested in working with us, please call (937) 223-7217 and ask for the Refugee Resettlement department.

For information about our current volunteer and donation needs, please visit the You Can Help section of this website.

What does CSSMV do to help refugees arriving in Dayton?

HOUSING

Volunteers play a key role in getting housing units ready for arriving refugee families. Here, a bunk bed is being assembled.

When our refugee resettlement team is notified that a new arrival is scheduled, the most urgent priority is to make sure that a (minimally) furnished housing unit will be ready for them when they get here. Volunteers assist with the preparations, from assembling and making the beds to stocking the kitchen.

If you are a Dayton-area landlord who would like to learn more about providing housing for refugee individuals and families, please call us at (937) 223-7217 and ask for our refugee resettlement department.

CULTURAL ORIENTATION

Imagine being forced to leave your home and move to another country. You have little or no choice in choosing the country you’re going to, and you don’t know the language or what the culture is like. Your job skills may not be transferable to the local economy where you’re going. Even the food is completely foreign to you.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for many refugees arriving in Dayton. Part of CSSMV’s job is to help new arrivals become familiar with things like the public school system, transportation systems, shopping centers, local currency, budgeting, and strange new social norms.

Many of our new arrivals are multi-lingual, but English may not be one of the languages they know. And some are illiterate, even in their primary languages. Linking adults and children with ESOL classes (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and school-based resources is one of our first steps.

The goal is to help refugee individuals and families assimilate into our community while maintaining their own culture and heritage.

EMPLOYMENT

For refugees, employment is a vital step toward achieving self-sufficiency. New arrivals are eager to build strong foundations for themselves and their families here in the Miami Valley.

Refugees are legally allowed to work immediately upon their arrival in the United States. Our refugee resettlement team works with each individual to assess their existing skills, help them with resumes and job applications, provide job readiness training, and help manage expectations.

We also work closely with local employers, to match job skills to the employers’ needs and help ensure a positive experience for the business as well as the new employee.

Our program boasts an 86% employment rate within the first year of resettlement. “That means within about six to nine months, most people are entering their first job after coming to Dayton. And it takes about that much time — six months of English classes, six months of employment and job skills training,” says Gretchen Pfaff, our refugee employment services coordinator. “We also see many of the refugees taking the same paths that many American-born citizens do, seeking job upgrades after a year and attaining second employment. Some choose to enroll at Sinclair Community College or Wright State University to be able to move higher and earn more.”

If you are a Dayton-area employer who would like to learn more about hiring refugees, call (937) 223-7217 and ask to talk with a refugee employment specialist.

“Attracting capable, reliable workers is a significant challenge and we are thrilled that we have been able to support the refugee community while at the same time meeting the needs of Dayton’s employers.” — Tom Maher, President & CEO, Manpower of Dayton

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

While each person’s needs are unique, there are key types of community resources that are beneficial to most of the individuals and families we serve. Our refugee resettlement team has worked diligently to build great relationships with local partners and help them understand how to best serve this vulnerable population. Our case managers connect their clients directly with the appropriate community resources to assist with things like:

Medical care and establishing a medical home
Mental health and trauma counseling
Job skills training
Tutoring for children and adults
School enrollment
Case planning for self-sufficiency

Eligibility

Refugees are referred to CSSMV for relocation in Dayton after going through an extensive process that includes review by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the U.S. State Department.

Contact

For information about our refugee resettlement program, call (937) 223-7217.

Location

CSSMV Refugee Resettlement
Center for Families
1046 Brown Street
Dayton, Ohio 45409