In 2022, with help from BDCC, the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) established offices in southern Vermont – first Brattleboro, and then Bennington. Refugee resettlement is also supported by volunteer groups, some independent and some affiliated with ECDC like Bennington County Open Arms and St. Michaels Brattleboro refugee ministry.
Refugee arrivals began with a wave of nearly 100 Afghans when Kabul fell in 2022. Since that time most refugees, and subsequent arrivals (over 250 to date) have chosen to stay. Increasingly, those who have put down roots in southern Vermont are being rejoined by loved ones who are often scattered across the globe as displaced people.
VtDigger featured one such story that illustrates the long journey that families make to find safety, be reunited, and build a new life together in Vermont: Torn apart by chaos in Afghanistan, a refugee family is reunited in Bennington
——
About BDCC Welcoming Communities and Workforce Center of Excellence
BDCC’s Welcoming Communities programming includes both partnerships and programs, designed to welcome more people to the region, and support an increasingly diverse local workforce and entrepreneurs. BDCC is the backbone organization for the Southern Vermont Working Communities project, supported by the Boston Federal Reserve and Vermont Working Communities and a state partner in the ThinkVermont Grow program to welcome other newcomers to Vermont. This includes BDCC’s Workforce Center of Excellence with workforce programs targeting youth, immigrants, and adults seeking upskilling and new career pathways.
