Refugees celebrate First Thanksgiving in America

by MATT BERGSTROM Virtually attend the First Thanksgiving celebration. Each of us probably has many unique memories of Thanksgiving, but they probably all centered on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and family. We remember the pilgrims who broke bread with their native hosts in this new land. And eventually we go around the table [...]

Salt Lake County faces refugee-housing crisis

by MATT BERGSTROM At the end of 2007, Salt Lake County Community Resources and Development commissioned a report on the housing situation for refugees within the county. The report, published in December 2007 by Wikstrom Economic and Planning Consultants Inc., revealed a dire situation. According to the report, Salt Lake is what is known as [...]

A big change is coming for the IRC in SLC

by MATT BERGSTROM Imagine you have just contracted a life-altering disease. You find a specialist who knows how to treat it and the two of you work together to improve your quality of life. Now imagine that after six months you are told you have to go to a new specialist. The new doctor is [...]

SLC refugee agencies fight for time, money

by BRADY LEAVITT The flight attendant lifts the microphone to his lips and smiles. He announces that in an effort to cut costs the scheduled pilot has been laid off. Fortunately, a good-intentioned passenger has skimmed a copy of the pilot’s handbook and is volunteering to fly the plane. It is a metaphor used by [...]

Salt Lake City IRC assists refugees

by REED NELSON Refugee. According to the Immigration and Nationality act, a refugee is described as: “Any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return [...]

Mormon church lends help to refugees

by BRETT PERFILI Every year people throughout the world come  to the United States for something better, whether it’s opportunity, a place to live or lifestyle. Some of these people are refugees who have fled from their native countries to seek better chances in their lives. According to the United States Department of State a refugee [...]

IRC Salt Lake City extends its care

by MICHAEL OLSON It all started with an idea, Albert Einstein’s idea. As a German refugee, Einstein came to America to escape the tyrant Adolf Hitler. Einstein used his influence and money to help others escape from Germany. Thanks to Einstein an American branch of an already existing European relief agency was founded in 1933. [...]