November 7, 2016 ~ By Peter Friesen/Missoulian
Soft Landing Missoula now has a building where refugee families can land. And it even has a soft armchair, though it sits alone next to the stackable plastic chairs that fill the lobby. Read more.
Refugee Resettlement
The second lecture in our series took place on November 1st, 2016, from 6pm to 8pm in Urey Lecture Hall at the University of Montana Campus. Molly Short Carr from the International Rescue Committee and Mary Poole from Soft Landing Missoula spoke regarding the refugee resettlement process and how it pertains to Missoula. A personal experience was shared by Wilmot J. Collins, a Helena resident and former refugee from Liberia. The event was graciously sponsored by the University of Montana School of Journalism, and moderated by the Dean of the School of Journalism, Larry Abramson.
Missoula Community Access Television was present during the lecture, and a video copy of the event will be available through SLM. MCAT’s video is available on our website (below) as well as their website and will officially air on December 28, 2016 at 9pm. SLM successfully broadcasted the event in a trial run on facebook live, and intend to do so for future Soft Landing Missoula Presents lectures as well, with the hope of improving the quality of the video feed each time.
Soft Landing Addresses Questions About Refugee Resettlement In Missoula
November 2, 2016 ~ By Katie Riordan/MTPR
Groups involved with the resettlement of refugees in Montana tried to answer questions and clear up misconceptions about resettlement plans in Missoula last night at the University of Montana. Read more.
Open house to discuss resettlement of refugees in Missoula
November 1, 2016 ~ KTVQ.com
The resettlement of refugees in Missoula will be the topic of an open forum being held on Tuesday at the University of Montana.
Speakers at the event – which is being hosted by Soft Landing Missoula – will discuss the basics of the global refugee crisis, the resettlement process and what this looks like for Missoula. Read more.
Refugee resettlement is topic of second Soft Landing program
October 31, 2016 ~ By Kim Briggeman/Missoulian
A Helena man who fled civil war in Liberia with his new bride in the 1990s will be a featured speaker Tuesday night when Soft Landing Missoula hosts its second in a series of presentations about refugee resettlement. Read more.
Landing on two wheels
October 20, 2016 ~ By Laura Lundquist/Missoula Independent
Part of Missoula’s “soft landing” for refugees includes landing on a bicycle.
That’s why, over the past month, Free Cycles Director Bob Giordano and his volunteer bike mechanics have been busier than usual. Not only have they been helping the group responsible for welcoming the refugees, Soft Landing Missoula, but they’ve also needed to translate a bit of Swahili. Read more.
Congolese refugees: New Missoulians share their joys, foibles and discoveries
October 12, 2016 ~ By Kim Briggeman/Missoulian
Gilbert Hategeka laughed as he told the story of himself Tuesday.
The heating unit in his new home in Missoula was quiet when Hategeka, his wife and their four young sons moved in last month after spending most of the previous 18 years in a refugee camp in Uganda. Read more.
Missoula refugees featured on fundraising video
October 4, 2016 ~ By Kim Briggeman/Missoulian
An online fundraiser launched Tuesday by Soft Landing Missoula features a video that gives a glimpse of some of Missoula’s recently arrived refugees. Soft Landing, the volunteer organization that paved the way for the opening of Montana’s only refugee resettlement office this summer, aims to raise $30,000 by the end of the month. Read more.
Refugees in the US: Montana-based group call for refugee resettlement
September 29, 2016 ~ By Al Jazeera English
Western nations often get accused of not doing more for people displaced by war. But a group of mothers in the US state of Montana, inspired by images of their plight, is taking action to encourage refugees to resettle in their city. Read more.
Police in U.S. seek ways to integrate refugees
September 22, 2016 ~ By Tom Jackman/The Washington Post
For years, Boise, Idaho, has welcomed large numbers of refugees from strife-torn countries, in the past year accepting twice as many Syrians as New York City and Los Angeles combined. And so Jodi Larson-Farrow of Boise’s Agency for New Americans holds a cultural orientation for about 30 new arrivals about every two weeks, and she asks them what comes to mind when they think of the police. Read more.