Conflicts around the world have forced thousands of families to flee their homelands and seek refuge in other nations.

ReEstablish Richmond helps refugees and their families rebuild their lives in Metro Richmond and become self-sufficient.

“We are growing a lot and finding more and more ways to help our refugee clients,” says Marjie Patterson, chair of ReEstablish Richmond’s Board of Directors.

“In the current environment, now feels like a really important time to be supporting refugees.”

The small, nonprofit agency was started in 2010 and works in collaboration with resettlement agencies, government agencies, faith communities and volunteers to help connect refugees to life-building resources vital to making their transition to a new home successful.

Acclimating to Richmond’s culture and community is not easy, Ms. Patterson says, particularly because, after being displaced, many refugees know returning home is not an option for a variety of reasons, among them religious persecution, political and social unrest and genocide. Many fear for their lives, she says.

“Our staff and many volunteers help refugees do some of the basics — deal with transportation, education and employment and community engagement — in order to live in Richmond.”

ReEstablish Richmond has worked with an average of 123 families each year for the past three years, providing services to adults as well as some indirect services to children, Ms. Patterson explains. The organization pairs refugees with volunteers who act as community mentors to help families “learn how to navigate life in America.”

“We also connect refugees with ESL (English as a Second Language) classes and help clients build their résumés and find jobs. We have an outreach coordinator who meets with refugee clients referred by other agencies and helps find solutions to any problem they may be facing,” Ms. Patterson says.

Many refugee families the organization helps live in Henrico County, where accessing and navigating the public transit system can be a major challenge, she says.

“We conduct bus orientations to help our clients learn how to navigate using GRTC,” Ms. Patterson says. “We also help clients study for their learner’s permit and we pay for clients to take behind-the-wheel training before getting their driver’s licenses.”

On a few occasions, she continues, “we have received donated cars (for) refugee families that need one.”

The organization also helps families register their children for school.

“It can be difficult because it is a different process for people from different countries speaking different languages,” she says.

“Think about this: How would you do if you were put in a totally foreign place, a completely different culture, where you didn’t know anybody or the language, or how to get food or a job? How would you want someone to help you?”

Although ReEstablish Richmond has seen the number of refugees to Metro Richmond drop in the past year — from 626 in 2017 to 196 so far this year — largely because of a change in Trump administration policy, the need for help remains.

ReEstablish Richmond advocates for policies that “support the growth of — rather than the dismantling of — the refugee resettlement process,” officials with the organization say.

“We believe that refugees bring creative energy, determination, a wealth of experience and a depth of perspective to our communities,” Ms. Patterson notes.

“Personally, I’m a supporter of a more open immigration policy. Of course, everyone should go through vigorous screenings, as they already do. But I think we should accept a significant number of refugees from all countries where people are displaced and unable to stay. And we should support them in their efforts to build new lives here.”

Ms. Patterson got involved in refugee resettlement after serving the summer after college as a volunteer at a refugee shelter in Ontario, Canada.

“It was really eye opening,” Ms. Patterson says.

She returned to Richmond after graduate school and studying about many of the conflicts that lead to displacement of people. She also received training in nonprofit and public sector management, and sought to get involved with a nonprofit board.

“I was very excited to find ReEstablish Richmond,” she says, because “it was something I felt passionate about.”

She has been a member of the board since the fall of 2014. Her term as chair ends next May.

The organization is planning a Welcome Fest in September, and continues seeking volunteers to help “refugees feel welcome and build lives in Richmond.”

Meet a welcoming advocate for refugee families and this week’s Personality, Marjie Patterson:

No. 1 volunteer position: Chair, board of directors of ReEstablish Richmond.

Date and place of birth: Sept. 12 in Lewisburg, W.Va.

Current residence: Henrico County.

Alma maters: Bachelor’s in political science, Virginia Commonwealth University; master’s in public policy, Duke University.

Family: Husband, David; no kids (yet).

When and why ReEstablish Richmond was founded: In 2010, founder Patrick Braford recognized that the current programs weren’t able to meet all the long-term needs of refugees who had resettled in Richmond.

Its mission: Helping refugees establish roots, build community and become self-sufficient.

What makes this organization different: Our staff members have really earned the trust of the refugee community, and since we’re small, we have been able to be nimble and shift our focus over the years to meet their most pressing needs.

Number of staff: Two full-time staff members, two Americorps VISTA volunteers and a couple of interns.

Impact of new government policies on immigration: The current administration has reduced the overall number of refugee admissions into the United States. There have also been fewer Muslim refugees resettling in the United States during the Trump administration as compared to the Obama administration.

Number of people resettling in Richmond: In 2017, Richmond resettled 626 refugees. In 2018, with the year-end being September, the total so far is 196. 

How new refugees are viewed in the Richmond area: I think most have had generally positive experiences, although I have heard sentiments like needing to take care of Americans first.

How they should be viewed: I think they are people just like us, who have different perspectives and experiences that we could learn from, who can add a lot of value to America, and who have had to endure something I hope none of my loved ones ever have to endure.

Impact of refugees on the local job market: Refugees don’t come to Richmond in very large numbers, so we think their impact on the overall job market is small. Some also start businesses and create jobs once they’ve been able to get established in the United States.

What refugees bring to Richmond area: New cultures and foods, and a desire to learn about us and blend their past culture and American culture into a new future.

How I start the day: Mostly, I think about the things I want to get done that day and try to make a plan that’s realistic. And then I get up and start the day.

A perfect day for me: It would be a packed day, filled with time with family and friends, doing something productive, eating good food and spending time outside.

Something I love to do that most people would never imagine: I’m super into the E! reality shows “Total Divas” and “Total Bellas” about female wrestlers.

Kindergarten taught me: How to make friends. I moved in kindergarten and then switched classes in my new school, so I had to figure out how to make friends three times that year.

Best late-night snack: Pizza. It’s the best snack any time of the day.

How I unwind: Read a book on my screened-in porch.

A quote that I am inspired by: “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded.”— Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The person who influenced me the most: My mom.

The book that influenced me the most: “The River of Doubt” by Candice Millard, a fascinating book about Teddy Roosevelt’s expedition to chart an unmapped river in the Amazon.

Book I last read: “The Last Girl: My Story of Captivity and My Fight Against the Islamic State” by Nadia Murad.  She is Yazidi and was enslaved when ISIS came to her village in Iraq.

My next goal: I’m working on improving my French and learning to read Hebrew.