Hello Neighbor!

We have an incredibly exciting announcement! Let me start at the beginning… of course….

In one of our last newsletters, I wrote a bit about being on this life-changing adventure for 4 years now. Well, early early in those times, Molly and I spent a ton of time putting our heads together, trying to figure out what serving refugees might look like in Missoula. As per usual, much of that involved getting on “The Googles”, and typing in various combinations of “Refugee Nonprofit”. It’s amazing what you can find with a little perseverance, and lots of wee hours of the night time while nursing children! What we found was an incredible number of amazing folks around the country doing the same stuff we wanted to do! Then, we picked up the phone. We spoke with people in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburg, Boise, Seattle, Salt Lake… the list goes on and on. We gained strength, inspiration, and the programatic ideas we were searching for from each one. Each organization is so unique in what they offer and how they approach their challenges, their celebrations, and their communities, but there was ALWAYS a common thread of enthusiasm, openness, collaboration, feistiness, and local community. Each call felt like we had just discovered a new sister, a new confidant, a new mentor. The best thing is, we have kept in close touch with quite a few of these organizations over the years, and the feeling of awe and inspiration has never faded. And at some point, the questions on “what” and “how” also turned to us! “What is fiscal sponsorship and do you like it?”, ” How do you run your supper clubs?”, etc… And our questions, as you can probably guess, never ever stop! “Oh! Your cookie sale looked fun! What platform did you use?” HA! You get the picture…

So today, eeeeeeeee! I am so so excited that through the hard work of one of these nonprofits, Hello Neighbor out of Pittsburg, 8 women-lead, refugee-centered organizations are joining hands and hearts in a network designed to amplify our voices, exchange ideas, and work together to increase inclusiveness for refugees in communities across the nation.

As refugee numbers decline and community/state support for the resettlement program come in to question, we know there is another side to the story. The story of regular citizens coming together to uphold values of safety and opportunity for all. This is our story. This is the story of the Hello Neighbor Network. Stay tuned for adventure!

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

November Supper Club!

On November 3rd, join us at Masala around 5:30 to enjoy a traditional Congolese meal prepared by the lovey Micheline Daphrose Radjabu! Reservations are required and these amazing dinners fill up fast! Check out the menu and call Masala today!

RESERVE NOW

Holiday Cookies!

Remember our wonderful Valentines day Baklava sale this year? The one where you guys bought over 1,000 pieces of baklava in under 2 days!?! Well, stay tuned for a Thanksgiving Cookie Sale in the works. Whether you just want a few new treats to sample, or a huge platter for your holiday table, we have ya covered and will let you know more details soon!

Events and Opportunities

>> For all of you Bozeman folks- Gallatin Refugee Connections is doing another incredible Welcome Kit Drive on November 2nd! Check out their FB event for more info and get involved with this incredible organization! <<

>> We are still looking for warm, weatherproof winter outerwear- coats, gloves, hats, snow pants, etc.. We are especially in need winter gear for kids of all ages! Items can be dropped off at our office Monday-Friday between 9am-4pm. <<

>> We are also still looking for pumpkins to carve with our after school kiddos on Halloween. There is still time to pick up a pumpkin- we suggest the win-win of buying it from Pumpkins for the Pov– and drop it off at our office Monday- Friday 9-4. <<

Just for Fun!

Remember one of the first viral You Tube sensations- the Kid President? Well, he is back, a bit older, and hanging out with refugees! Check out this great video!

We are incredibly honored to be a part of the birth of an incredibly inspiring group of women lead, refugee-centered organizations- the new “Hello Neighbor Network”! We are joining 8 other organizations to share stories, inspiration, ideas, challenges, and celebrations to create welcoming, inclusive, and supportive communities. Launched by Hello Neighbor out of Pittsburg, PA, together we will amplify our voices in support of refugees in our own communities and across the nation. We are joining some old friends and mentors as well as a few folks we have yet to get to know and are very excited about. We are all convening mid-November for some face time and space to exchange bold ideas! Expect to hear more about our adventures in Pittsburg!

As refugee numbers decline and community/state support for the resettlement program come in to question, we know there is another side to the story. The story of regular citizens coming together to uphold values of safety and opportunity for all. This is our story. This is the story of the Hello Neighbor Network.

Check out the other game-changing participating organizations!

Dwell Mobile located in Mobile, Alabama
Heartfelt Tidbits in Cincinnati, Ohio
Hearts and Homes for Refugees in Westchester, NY
Homes Not Borders in Washington D.C.
International Neighbors in Charlottesville, VA

Miry’s List in Los Angeles, CA
Refugee Assistance Alliance in Miami, FL

We are so excited to announce our November Supper Club! Ever since our first Supper Club featuring Congolese food this past spring, you all have been asking, and asking, and ASKING for more! This is going to be a special evening with an incredible family cooking for you. Please reserve your spots ASAP- it fills up quick! Read below to find out how…

Where: Masala, 206 W Main St , MT 59802

When: Sunday, November 3rd.  Doors (and wine!) at 5:30 pm and dinner at 6:00pm

Cost: Eat: $40/person Give: $60/person Love: $80/person

When you pay you will have the option to: Eat: $40 for a delicious family style dinner, where a portion of the cost covers ingredients and staff time, and the rest goes to the guest chef. Give: $60 gets you the same delicious dinner, but with an additional $20 going directly to the guest chef. Love: $80 gives an additional $40 directly to the guest chef to collectively make this an unforgettable evening! All levels are welcome and appreciated!

How: To make a reservation call Masala @ (406) 926-6444.

Please direct any further questions to mary@softlandingmissoula.org

The administration just set the refugee admissions ceiling at a new historic low.  At a time when the need has never been greater, with nearly 71 million people in the world who are forcibly displaced from their homes, there will be no more than 18,000 refugees resettled in the United States in fiscal year 2020. This is down from 85,000 when we began our work in FY 2016, a number that has basically been cut in half each consecutive year. We know that trying to sift through all of the policy, politics, articles, opinions, sides, facts and “facts” can be overwhelming, exhausting, and even a bit paralyzing.  Here are a few simple thoughts that have helped me to wrap my head around the tremendously harmful impact of this decision- in the good ole’ tried and true Western ideals of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Good: 

1. 18,000 refugees could find safe haven here in 2020.  That is 18,000 men, women, and children who may get a second chance at life. 

2. 4,000 slots will be set aside for Iraqis who assisted US troops (out of the tens of thousands currently waiting in substantial danger), hopefully beginning to make good on promises to keep them safe after dismal admissions in 2019 (only 200!!!). 

Bad:

1. 18,000 is so so so so far from where we have been and where we can be as a nation. America has successfully resettled over 3 million refugees since the late 1970’s, some years offering a safe haven to over 200,000 individuals annually. 

2. Refugee and immigrant families have contributed a great deal to the economic success of our country and local communities. We shoot ourselves in the economic foot with this one.

Ugly: 

1. The fact that it is not zero, gives some hope for a few, but the statement “at least it is not zero” is in reality a seductive and easy dismissal of a damaging and truly horrible decision. As tempting as it is for us as well, “at least it is not zero” CANNOT be our rally cry.

2. Are we really using families seeking asylum on our southern border as a scapegoat? We are smart, and educated, and capable, and creative – we CAN pat our heads and rub our bellies at the same time! Asylum seekers hope to pursue their claims here (with most of the backlog being self-inflicted by the administration; refugees are vetted while they are still overseas, mostly by people and agencies not involved with asylum seekers. These are two very separate and stand-alone processes that really need not interfere with each other. 

3. Another sneaky and thinly-veiled measure is evident in an accompanying executive order “on Enhancing State and Local Involvement in Refugee Resettlement,” the purpose of which is “to ensure that newly-arrived refugees are placed in communities where state and local governments are best-positioned to receive them” in order to “support refugees’ successful integration…” This is doublespeak. The real purpose is to create a path for states to opt-out of participating in this sometimes challenging, but incredibly successful and enriching national program. 

4. These low numbers are designed and have been systematically implemented to decimate the infrastructure of resettlement, including the overseas processing and the local offices so important to communities like Missoula. When (yes, WHEN) refugee admissions return to robust levels, it will probably still take years to rebuild the knowledge base and physical capacity has been lost in this small and inhumane blip in our history.  

5. Lastly, and maybe the most heartbreaking, such low numbers keep families separated from loved ones who also qualify to be here and reunited under refugee status. Many families in Missoula are right now waiting for reunification after being torn apart through tragedy not of their own making.

Despite the increasing roadblocks, we do still have so much hope for the robust future of resettlement in our country. We see not only the outrage that this decision has brought to so many, but our everyday work means that we connect with hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individuals in Missoula and beyond who believe, like us (and 27 distinguished retired military officers), that providing refuge to the world’s most vulnerable is not only good policy, but the true essence of what it means to be human and care for one another as our own. The truth is that we don’t know yet what this will mean for resettlement in Missoula, but we do know that for Soft Landing Missoula it means our current rally cry is “Now, more than ever”. We also know that we are part of networks made up of groups across the nation that are standing arm in arm for refugees and that as a community and as a nation we will weather this storm and come out stronger. Across the nation, those working with refugees have been forced to be a little more creative, a little more patient, a little more passionate, and a whole lot louder. But that is what it is going to take to rebuild this program to historic successful levels and beyond. To reiterate something we said in an op-ed less than six weeks ago: We believe that support for refugees, cultivated in the hundreds of communities in which they have planted new roots, will continue to thrive. People know their new neighbors are good, honest, hard-working folks whose sacrifices are inspiring and whose will to succeed will never be defeated. We are a nation of refuge, not rejection.

Soft Landing Missoula works closely with community partners to support their ongoing volunteer needs in their efforts to serve our local refugee population. There are some great opportunities for people interested in direct services with refugee youth in Missoula. Hands-on service requires a bit more of a commitment from the volunteer, but is greatly needed and appreciated!

St. Joe’s Catholic School is looking for volunteers to come in during the school day to work one-on-one with refugee students.

When: Weekdays between 8am-3pm

Where: St. Joe’s Elementary School

How: Call St. Joe’s to request an application, (406) 549-1290 or email tina.mcgill@mcsmt.org

Commitment: 1-2 days a week

Missoula County Public Schools is looking for tutors to work one-on-one with refugee and immigrant students during the school day. Tutors will commit to a regular schedule with the same student(s). 

When: Must have availability during the school day

Where: May be placed in any Missoula County Public School (requests will be considered)

How: 

• Step 1: Fill out an MCPS volunteer application and background check. Please fill out the “unsupervised volunteer” application): http://www.mcpsmt.org/domain/818.

• Please print, fill out, and take them (with a check for $6.00) to MCPS Administration Building, 200 S. 6th Street West during the day (better than mailing) – they are open at 8:00 am. The secretary in the Superintendent’s office will take them.

•  Step 2: Fill out the MCPS Volunteer ELL Tutor Application:

• At the same time, please complete the Volunteer ELL form online and email it to Jodee Zunker at jkzunker@mcps.k12.mt.us . This allows you to indicate your preferred schools, if any (close to work/home), grade levels if any, and times available during school day. You will be an unsupervised volunteer.

Commitment: once a week for the school year

Has it really been 4 years?

This time of year is always a bit of a whirlwind for us at Soft Landing Missoula- a time of duality. We are trying to enjoy the last bit of summer sun and adventure while at the same time finding balance as kiddos return to school.  We are experiencing the abundance that new staff and interns bring to our work lives after a “lean” couple of months with fewer UM students around.  We are reflecting on the joyful and beautiful families we have come to know and are watching the turn of the fiscal year bring a new and potentially even lower number of refugees to America in 2020.  We are fighting the possibility of a Presidential Determination set at zero, but are hopeful in the face of this uncertainty because you are fighting with us. AND, it is especially nostalgic this time of year as we remember that 4 years ago today, the idea of Soft Landing Missoula took root in our hearts as our chests were cracked wide open by the photos of Alan Kurdi and there was no choice but to ask the questions; If not us- who? If not now- when? Out of these questions rooted in tragedy, grew the most beautiful and wonderful, life-changing and life-affirming effort by an entire community. So yeah, a little bit of duality this time of year 😉

As we remember that moment- that one moment of one day that changed so many lives- we gear up to celebrate all that welcoming refugees has meant to us, our city, our state, and our new neighbors.  For the third year of participating in Welcoming Week– a national week of events- we will be joining with other wonderful groups, individuals, and businesses to bring you 9 events to celebrate refugees and immigrants in our city and our state. From those newly here, to those who have been making a positive mark in our communities for decades, we are taking this time to say “Welcome” and “Thank You” and we value the strength, resilience and diversity you bring to our lives.  

Join us for one, two, or all nine of the events!  There will be a little bit of everything-  new participating communities (woooohooo to Missoula’s Venezuelans!), old favorites (freshly roasted Eritrean coffee, international soccer games!), ways to ACT (work parties with beer!), an inaugural rally, delicious food in the form of Middle Eastern sweet treats (obviously!!!), and the best kick off party ever- complete with the return of the Together Missoula Global Pale Ale brewed just for this week!

Look for the Together Missoula banners around downtown all month and share the news that it is time to celebrate and it is time to act!

In love and gratitude,

Mary Poole
ED Soft Landing Missoula

PS- In case there weren’t already enough links to make you go crazy in this newsletter- I am currently obsessed with this song and wanted to share 😉

Events and Opportunities

>> WELCOMING WEEK– One of our biggest weeks of the year with too many events to list here; check out all of the ways you can celebraterefugees and immigrants in our community during Missoula’s 3rd annual, 9 day event, starting with a fantastic kick-off party at Imagine Nation Brewing on Sept 13th from 6-8p! Whew! >>

>> World View film series- We are happy to continue to sponsor this great series that creates a window to the world in partnership with The Roxy, Arts Missoula, the International Rescue Committee in Missoula, and more. Come check out this fall’s line up of FREE movies that starts September 9th- the theme is art from around the world: Cultures on Display.>>

>> Free Public Lecture by Mĩcere Gĩthae Mũgo: World renowned author, activist, and educator speaks at UM Sept 24th at 7p about transformational scholarship guided by Ubuntu- the essence of being human.  More details available here.>>

ACTION ALERT

As the refugee resettlement “ceiling” will be set in the next few weeks for the Fiscal Year 2020 (starting October 2019), we are asking you to help save a very successful program that has changed many thousands of lives across the country, including more than 300 here in Montana in the last 3 years. Find out how we can help the national ceiling be set at at least 95,000 individuals, not at zero!

Do you see anything listed on our office resource board that you have and/or would be able to provide to refugee families in Missoula? Feel free to stop in our office for a better look at this ever changing board or to drop stuff off 9-4 M-F!

***We are also looking to BORROW some card tables for a Welcoming Week event. Please email mary@softlandingmissoula.org if you have any available that you wouldn’t mind lending for a day!****

And now for some more fun stuff……..

We were so excited to celebrate the opening of the new Universal Revival Church founded by Congolese refugees in Missoula. It was such a beautiful ceremony and we would like to share a few images with you! Regular Sunday service takes place at the Public House at 1pm and is full of song and celebration.

This lecture looks amazing!

Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 7 PM

NORTH UNDERGROUND LECTURE HALL, UM