Shelton group to host Syrian refugees

SHELTON — The Valley Refugee Resettlement Project will be hosting a refugee family from Syria in the coming days.

The family of two parents and four children arrives in the U.S. from Turkey on March 6, according to Project co-chair Rich Knoll. Meanwhile, the project, which formed last year at Huntington Congregational Church, is actively seeking a three-bedroom apartment to lease in the central Shelton area.

The family will be lodged temporarily in a local extended stay hotel until an apartment is leased.

The church as the Valley Refugee Resettlement Project will co-sign the apartment lease as an assurance to the landlord. Carey and Guarrera Realty is helping the group find a suitable apartment, close to public transportation.

Interested property owners may contact Keenan Carey at 203-9250058 or Gordon Harris at 203-6055233.

Knoll said the costs to resettle a family are considerable, as they will be coming with only minimal clothing and few resources. Project leaders welcome financial contributions from the public. A GoFundMe account has been created at https://gofund.me/f503d48b.

The Valley Project was certified by Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services of New Haven as a community co-sponsor in November after meeting specific organizational and fundraising mandates, and has been awaiting an offer from IRIS to relocate a family.

The Project is responsible for providing a furnished apartment, clothing, school supplies and food until the family is self-sufficient. Adults will seek employment as soon as possible. Potential employers are asked to contact Project liaison Byron Peterson at Petersonbyron62@gmail.com.