Our Bennington County Open Arms (BCOA) has grown from a core group of 4 who were introduced by Kate Paarlberg-Kvam, Executive Director of Community Asylum Seekers Project, to an organization blessed by a wave of community support that presently includes 25+ core volunteers all working to resettle refugees right here.
We have developed a relationship with one of the nine resettlement agencies in the United States, ECDC (Ethiopian Community Development Council). Through ECDC Multicultural Community Center in Brattleboro, our core volunteers have been trained to welcome and accompany new arrivals through their resettlement period. The lived and professional experiences of our talented volunteers - including the G.o.d Squad (Grandparents-on-Demand to provide babysitting or home-cooked meals)- and the relative diversity of our core volunteers, indicate that BCOA is more than ready to welcome families into our corner of Vermont. The most significant limit to our capacity is finding affordable housing, which is in shortage everywhere. If you know of affordable non-traditional housing, or individuals who would like to volunteer with us, please let us know.
We know we could never have achieved so much so quickly without the generous support of our donors. Thanks to you, individuals and organizations, BCOA has raised enough funds to provide ECDC with the required financial commitment to co-sponsor several families. In compliance with ECDC policy to use funds responsibly and frugally, BCOA is committed to source all needs first through donations before spending any funds reserved for BCOA supported families. Any donation through our fiscal sponsor, the United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
There are too many individuals and institutions to name here, but our gratitude goes to you all, who believed in a noble cause to help from the beginning. We are humbled by your trust in us. We thank you for your continued support, in all ways, big or small. We ask for your ongoing moral support and prayers.
A potential employer wrote that we are “doing God’s work”. Many of our core volunteers are attached to a local church. For all, we are motivated to help the families; and by so doing, to help ourselves; The arriving Afghan families are giving us, Americans, the opportunity to fulfill our moral obligation to our allies and friends. We hope you will continue to stay on this ‘BCOA train’ for an incredible journey and let’s see how many more stops we can host along, Insh’Allah (god willing).
Anandaroopa & Grace Winslow
Team Coordinators