Refugee Services

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is the resettlement agency for the state of Oklahoma, organizing partners and staff to welcome the newly arrived refugees to find safety, stability, and self- sufficiency into our community. 

Catholic Charities is dedicated to helping refugees who have fled their countries to escape war, crisis and conflict. This complex work often involves fragile survivors. Case managers, job developers and housing navigators help them find work, learn English and make a new home.

Due to the influx of refugees we have taken in since 2021, we have immediate and ongoing needs to assist in setting up homes and providing the resources. To assist us in these endeavors, please consider a donation or visit our Amazon Wishlist.

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OKC’s Immigrant and Refugee Community 

More than 100,000 of OKC residents, or 8% of the population, is foreign born. This adds to the growing, diverse cultural experience. 

Our history of supporting refugees predates the recent influx of Afghan arrivals. Oklahoma City welcomed a vast number of Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s after the communist government of North Vietnam captured Saigon. Those cultural influences are still present in our community, and represent sales revenues in excess of $225 million in the Oklahoma City metro area. 

Afghan Refugee Response 

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is a statewide resettlement agency in Oklahoma and is working closely with Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma in the Tulsa area to provide initial resettlement services. 

Over 1,800 Afghan refugees have been resettled in Oklahoma through Catholic Charities from September 2021 - February 2022. This was the highest number of refugees resettled by Catholic Charities OKC in its history.
 

Resettlement Process

Housing

Catholic Charities of OKC works with Champion Hotels to immediately serve as temporary transitional housing for the Afghan refugees. Permanent housing solutions are identified through case management at Catholic Charities. Local community groups and churches have been sponsoring the housing setup for those moving into permanent housing covering the cost and providing the labor for the setup. 

Food

Two hot, culturally appropriate meals are being provided twice daily at the hotels by Benchmark Foods. A partnership with Super Cao Ngyuen grocery is supplementing this food service and helping clients in permanent housing with grocery assistance. 

Transportation

Transportation is provided by volunteers who are cleared of a background check through Catholic Charities. Trips include visits to the doctor, trips to the store and various other needs. 

Legal Services

The Spero Project, in partnership with C.A.I.R, identify pro bono or low bono attorneys to assist in filing adjustment status applications. Because of the expense, Catholic Charities and its partners are advocating for the Afghan Adjustment Act to provide a streamlined and cost-effective path to citizenship. 

A bi-partisan bill was introduced on August 9th, 2022 to establish pathway to permanent legal status for Afghans brought to the United States. To read more on how this will streamline the resettlement process, click here to read more.

Schools/Children Activities

All children who have been moved into permanent housing are successfully enrolled in public schools.

Social Integration 

Upon arrival, families are immediately provided with welcome kits from C.A.I.R. (Council on Islamic-American Relations) that include items such as the Quran, prayer rugs and hygiene items. One of the ways we help get them acclimated is allowing them to worship at one of the mosques Oklahoma City, who provides transportation on Fridays for prayer. 

ESL classes are held at the hotel in partnership with Oklahoma City Community College. The Oklahoma City Police Department train officers on how to interact with the refugees and educate them on their customs. 

Employment

Catholic Charities employs a job developer who conducts intakes with arrivals and works to match them with employers, keeping in mind housing and transportation challenges as well. The long term success of refugees hinges on successful long-term employment. 90% of individuals who identify as the head of household who are in permanent housing are employed.

English Language Classes 

In our state, around 4 in 10,000 people speak a Persian language. The Spero Project, a long-term refugee resettlement organization, is helping families communicate with those living in Oklahoma. ESL classes are being offered on site at two apartment complexes where multiple families have resettled. Volunteer translators have helped since the refugees started arriving. Through our relationship with United Way of Central Oklahoma, we have access to a telephone translation service. 

Oklahoma City Welcoming Efforts 

Catholic Charities has partnered with other nonprofit organizations such as the the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County, the Council on American-Islamic Relations Oklahoma (CAIR), The Spero Project, Oklahoma City Public Schools, Putnam City School, United Way of Central Oklahoma and many local churches and faith-based organizations to ensure the families are well received and feel welcome. 
 

MORE INFO:

Who Is A Refugee? The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees defines a refugee as a person who has fled his or her country of origin and cannot return due to persecution (or a well founded fear of such) based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership of a particular social group.

About the Refugee Resettlement Program Catholic Charities’ Refugee Resettlement program assists newly arrived refugees in finding safety, stability, self-sufficiency, and integration into a new community. Since 1975, Catholic Charities has operated as an affiliate of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/ Migration and Refugee Services (USCCB/MRS) with responsibility for the provision of Reception and Placement (R&P) services to all newly arrived refugees for 90 days after arrival into the United States.

The majority of refugees to arrive in Oklahoma City and Tulsa within the first 20 years were from Southeast Asia. Since then, Catholic Charities has resettled individuals and families from Eastern Europe, the Former Soviet Union, and multiple countries in both Africa and Asia.

Today Catholic Charities also provides resettlement services to asylees, parolees, and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders. While the differences are nuanced between the different groups, like refugees, asylees and parolees are fleeing persecution and seeking humanitarian relief. SIV’s, on the other hand, are those whose lives have been threatened because of their work in support of the U.S. wartime mission in places such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

Education Services Most refugees arrive in the US with few possessions. The Refugee Resettlement Program offers a wide range of services to help assist clients in becoming self-sufficient. Each individual or family is assigned a case manager who works with the family for up to six months from the date of their arrival. These services include: Airport reception, food, housing, clothing, financial assistance, furniture/living supplies, community orientation, transportation assistance, English as a Second Language, health care, job development/skills training, employment opportunities, and referrals to community partners.

Employment Services

The Refugee Resettlement program is committed to assisting our clients in reaching self-sufficiency. Stable employment is a vital step in this direction. Catholic Charities offers the Oklahoma City business community access to a variety of potential employees possessing both professional and technical skills. The talent pool represents skilled craftsmen, hard-working laborers and creative professionals.

The Right People for the Job Refugees are fully authorized to work from the moment they arrive in the United States. They possess the documentation necessary for legal employment. Our clients desire to achieve self-sufficiency and economic stability for themselves and their families. Many of our clients bring skills and experiences that are valuable in the workplace. Some were professionals in their home countries while others are seeking entry-level positions. In fact, there are many benefits of hiring a refugee:

● Documented candidates screened by the U.S. Department of State

● Strong desire to work

● High loyalty and excellent retention rates

● Adaptability and resilience

● Wide variety of skills and work experience

● Employer tax credits

● Positive attitudes, quick learners

● Enhanced cultural diversity in your staff

Services We Provide Employers We provide employment assessment and job orientation to all applicants. We pre-screen applicants to match their skills with relevant job openings. We offer mediation between employers and employees. We also offer post-employment and ongoing support to employers and our refugee clients.
 

Volunteer Opportunities

If you are interested in volunteering, please head over to our volunteer page here and follow the instructions. 

Make A Gift For Refugee Assistance

Making a donation to our refugee program will ensure we have funds to provide things such as furniture, transportation, housing, clothing and more.