By Michael Gelbwasser, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – About 200 refugees have received new pots, pans and towels from St. Mary Parish in Shrewsbury over the past three years.
When refugees arrive in the United States and settle in such places as Worcester, they “have just what they can carry” from their home country, parish member Jerry Cote said.
St. Mary's Social Justice Committee's Refugee Welcome Ministry has provided kitchen, bath and bedroom supplies for about one family per month – about 14 families per year, and 200 people total – since forming three years ago, Cote said. Cote and his wife Cecile coordinate the ministry for the committee.
Catholic Charities arranges for housing and social services for refugees seeking to settle in the Worcester area, he noted. The program is through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
On April 26, St. Mary's volunteers organized members’ donations of pots and pans, silverware, sheets and other household essentials in the parish school's basement, and built shelves there. The effort was part of the Day of Service at the parish, at 20 Summer St.
Cote said the couple brought the need for the ministry to the committee's attention after becoming “aware that refugees were coming into the United States and they were having some difficulty settling in.”
“It's a completely different culture here in the U.S. than in the countries where they were coming from,” he said.
Cote said he and his wife had read “Little Bee,” by Chris Cleave, a book about a refugee who sought to settle in the United Kingdom.
“We figured if refugees are having such a hard time settling (in), they could use some help,” he said.
The Cotes learned about Catholic Charities” refugee assistance program, and offered to help. The Cotes were referred to Sr. Theresa Khen Doan, Catholic Charities” refugee resettlement administrator.
The Cotes then approached St. Mary's Social Justice Committee, which invited Sr. Theresa to speak about the program.
St. Mary's ministry helped its first family, six residents from Nepal, just over three years ago, Cote said.
Upon learning of a family's imminent arrival, St. Mary's ministry volunteers begin assembling care packages of household essentials donated by church members or bought with members’ donations, Cote said. Catholic Charities provided a list of acceptable items.
Ministry volunteers often receive two days to two weeks’ notice, he said.
According to Cote, many of the refugees come from camps in Nepal, or from Iraq. Some of the refugees from Iraq “were assisting the United States government in the war over there, and they are not welcome in their own country anymore, or they are not comfortable in their own country anymore,” Cote said.
Volunteer Kathleen Ryzewski said refugees are moving into the neighborhoods near Worcester Academy, where she is a foreign language teacher. She has invited students to help gather and organize donations for the refugees.
“My hope is that the two students that have volunteered, not only do they catalogue the inventory, but they would actually be able to make some of the contributions that move into the neighborhoods,” said Ryzewski, who coordinated the April 26 volunteer session with Cote.
