How to help refugees coming to Connecticut

Hundreds expected to arrive from Afghanistan in coming days and weeks

HARTFORD — Nonprofit organizations in New Haven and Bridgeport are working directly with refugees from Afghanistan to provide temporary and longer-term housing as they settle into a new country.

Hundreds of refugees are expected to arrive here in the coming days and weeks.

“Connecticut has always opened our arms to refugees,’’ said U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy. “Refugees have made this state a better place to live. Those that come to Connecticut — fleeing war zones from Iraq to the Balkans to Syria to Afghanistan — end up raising families here. They start small businesses here. They become incredibly important community activists here.

“My hope is Connecticut is going to open its arms wide again as Afghan families come here, especially those Afghans that worked with us as translators or drivers or security guards during the 20 years of U.S. presence in Afghanistan.’’

In the short-term, some of the families will live in hotels upon their arrival as they await getting an apartment in a high-cost state.

“We want to make sure that these families can afford to live in Connecticut,’’ Murphy said. “We hope that those who are watching these scenes on TV, with an open heart, will think about donating to IRIS to make sure that they have the funds and the resources in the short term to be able to resettle families here — and that churches and organizations will offer themselves as partners to help make the transition to living in Connecticut easier.’’

Connecticut has two nonprofit agencies that are working directly with the refugees.

Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services is collecting donations and recruiting volunteers. Further information is available at 203-562-2095 and irisct.org. IRIS is based in New Haven.

Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants may be reached at cirict.org or by calling 203-336-0141 or 860-692-3085. The group is based in Bridgeport and has a Hartford office.

“Those that come to Connecticut — fleeing war zones from Iraq to the Balkans to Syria to Afghanistan — end up raising families here. They start small businesses here. They become incredibly important community activists here.” — U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy

GEMUNU AMARASINGHE/AP Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk out of the terminal Friday to board a bus after arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.