BRATTLEBORO-Forthcoming research by University of Vermont (UVM) and the Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) warn that Bennington and Brattleboro's hundreds of local refugees risk losing services, health care, and housing, without additional state, local, and philanthropic support for its innovative model of rural resettlement.
With funding from UVM's Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, Pablo Bose - who holds a doctorate in environmental studies from York University and is professor and director of UVM's Global and Regional Studies Program - and Thomas Huddleston - a research coordinator for ECDC Vermont with a doctorate in philosophy from Maastricht University, Netherlands - worked with UVM students to interview 50 local refugees (38% of all refugee households) in October 2024.
They also interviewed 50 local resettlement staff, volunteers, and partners in December.
According to a news release, interviewed refugees have been generally very positive about their experiences as New Vermonters since they began to arrive in 2022. Southern Vermont is unique, as Bennington and Brattleboro are the only resettlement sites in rural counties in the United States.
"[The refugees interviewed] are overwhelmingly positive about their local community and neighbors, as well as the growing refugee community and friendships with other locals. Most refugees have found solutions for food, shopping and leisure. Most have had positive experiences of schools and healthcare in Bennington and Brattleboro, as well as the housing situation in Bennington. Their experiences of employment, adult education and transportation are either good or getting better. Their main challenges are their employment and housing options, especially for housing in Brattleboro."
Looking to the future, interviewed resettlement staff, volunteers, and partners in southern Vermont worry that these challenges will only get worse with the current administration.
"While these local supporters say that the community's current strengths (community life, ESL/adult education, transport) will improve or stay the same, the community's main challenges are expected to get worse, given the federal funding and service cuts."
Perceived needs were greatest in areas linked to health care, housing, and services/benefits. "These challenges are particularly worrying in an area new to resettlement with few available partners."
Researchers found the only organization that most interviewed refugees turned to for help in Vermont was ECDC, which previously operated with 28 staff (80% of whom were New Vermonter leaders).
As one interviewee noted: "For the first primary problems, we just call or went to or go to the ECDC office. And, for example, for shopping, we don't have any problem. [...] And if we need to see a doctor [...] the office coordinates the appointment. And if we suddenly face a problem, we just call to emergency number 911, everyone knows that number. And the police work for these people as well. Otherwise, we just come to ECDC, and I think that would be all."
"Our refugee communities continue to depend on ECDC and our partners for help," said Joe Wiah, director of ECDC's Vermont's Multicultural Community Center. "Our refugee neighbors aren't going anywhere, because this is their new home." Stating that Brattleboro and Bennington are resilient communities with supportive neighbors, Wiah added "Now is the time for the local community and state of Vermont to increase their support and work with us to shape the future services for New Vermonters."
Bose said that "for rural communities in particular, newly arrived refugees bring renewed vitality, exciting ideas, and innovation. In my research across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, I found that newcomers help start new businesses, revitalize neighborhoods, energize local schools, and offer fresh perspectives, as we also found in southern Vermont."
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.