Category: Uncategorized

Soft Landing Missoula is in search of more volunteer driving instructors! This is one of the most important direct service volunteer opportunities with Soft Landing. Driving is an incredibly powerful way to increase self sufficiency for refugees, both economically and socially, especially single mothers. With many new families having arrived over the summer and winter on its way, there are many eager students ready to get their license!

Driving volunteers take refugees who have their Learner’s Permit out to practice driving around Missoula. The students range in experience levels from never having driven a car to just needing to practice once or twice before they take their test. If you are interested in volunteering, email volunteer@softlandingmissoula.org for more details!

We are thrilled to announce the United We Eat November Supper Club featuring Eritrean cuisine by the incredibly talented chefs Haben Asgedom and Abeba Meshesha!

The Soft Landing Missoula Supper Club aims to introduce the incredible culinary talent of Missoula’s newest neighbors, whose rich and flavorful cooking traditions provide a cultural bridge and enrich our shared community.

This month dinner will be at Scotty’s Table for the first time. We could not be more excited to partner with this wonderful restaurant to serve the unique and bold flavors of Eritrean cuisine! This supper club will be in a laid back friendly atmosphere with dinner served buffet style so you can sample a variety of traditional Eritrean dishes.

Where: Scotty’s Table 131 South Higgins Avenue U3, Missoula, MT 59802

When: Monday, November 19th.  Doors at 6:00 pm and dinner at 6:30pm

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 Soft Landing Missoula @ (406) 493-0504. Please leave your name, # of people in your party, email and your phone #.

Please direct any further questions to megan@softlandingmissoula.org

Proposed changes by the Department of Homeland Security, broadening the definition of who is “likely to become a public charge,” could harm many children and families of non-resident, documented immigrants and even affect refugees, who may not realize that they are legally exempt from the rule.

Until now, the government has only looked at an immigrants’ use of cash benefits such as TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families). Now, the government wants to also scrutinize immigrants’ use of non-cash benefits such as SNAP (food stamps), CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) and other Medicaid benefits, housing assistance and possibly even WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children).

This looming rule change sets up an awful choice—healthy families now or possible U.S. residency later. Forgo benefits and your kids will be harmed because they won’t have access to programs that put food on the table, or a roof over their heads. Use these benefits to build a foundation for the future and risk there being no future at all—at least in this country. Pregnant and breastfeeding moms would be forced to decide whether to forgo Medicaid. If WIC is included in the rule, early nutrition for kids could be sacrificed. Immigrants who forgo life-saving procedures may pay with their lives.

The prospect of such a drastic change has already precipitated a public health crisis as many documented immigrants—and even some refugees–have taken themselves and their families off such programs. Even though they are legally protected from the operation of this rule, refugee families don’t necessarily understand the fine points and react out of fear. According to the International Rescue Committee, “The last time the definition of public charge was expanded, for example, refugee use of benefits fell drastically even though they were still eligible: food stamps fell by 60%, TANF by 78% and Medicaid by 39%.”

The long-term health consequences of this near-sighted idea, upending decades of immigration policy, could be costly to society. Children and families will lose access to preventative health measures, a cost that will resonate over decades. There will be increased emergency room costs and higher healthcare expenditures in later years.

Is this what we as a nation want? As an organization formed to help refugees resettle in Missoula, we also recognize the broader immigrant community and strongly disagree with this unnecessary obstacle to their success. It ultimately weakens this country as well.  

DHS is taking comments for 60 days until Dec. 10, before the rule change becomes permanent. Tell the government why you think this rule change is harmful.

(Mail: Samantha Deshommes, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140. Please reference DHS Docket No. USCIS-2010-0012).

The IRC also has an excellent toolkit to help you fashion an effective message to the government.