When most people think about refugee resettlement, they imagine the moment a family arrives in the United States. But rebuilding a life doesn’t end after the welcome. It continues for months — and often years — as families navigate medical challenges, employment, housing, language barriers and an unfamiliar system. At Catholic Charities of Oregon, that’s where our work continues, too.
For Intensive Case Manager Mwashiti Matete, every family is different. Some need only a few months of support before they’re on stable footing. Others face challenges that require far more time, coordination and community partnerships.
Recently, Mwashiti has been working alongside two Syrian refugee families whose stories illustrate both the resilience of refugee families and the ongoing need for compassionate support.
A Family Carrying More Than One Burden
One family of five came to Catholic Charities seeking help with the permanent residency process through our Immigration Legal Services program. Their needs quickly grew beyond legal assistance.
The mother, who is in her 30s, is recovering from a stroke and lives with a heart condition. One of the couple’s teenage sons also has significant mobility challenges.
Their father spends much of his day as a caregiver. Oregon compensates him for caring for his wife, but not for his minor son. To help make ends meet, he picks up part-time shifts at a local food truck whenever he can.
Like many families, they found that one challenge often leads to another.
Affordable housing is difficult to find in Washington County, and rental assistance can be even harder to access. With medical appointments, caregiving responsibilities and limited income, even visiting a food pantry can become difficult.
After reconnecting the family with one of Catholic Charities’ immigration attorneys, Mwashiti helped secure emergency rental assistance while also connecting them with Community Action and IRCO for longer-term support. Those resources are invaluable, but they often come with waiting lists measured in weeks.
Sometimes, helping a family means bridging the gap until other assistance becomes available.
Investing in Tomorrow
Another Syrian family of four is working toward a different kind of stability.
The father is enrolled in Portland Community College’s welding program while improving his English skills. His goal is to earn an associate degree that will open the door to higher-paying work and long-term financial independence.
At home, however, both of the family’s children have developmental support needs, and their mother also faces daily challenges related to ADHD and autism.
Balancing school, caregiving and work has made it difficult to earn enough income to cover rent while continuing his education.
Catholic Charities was able to provide one month’s rental assistance, helping the family remain housed while Mwashiti connected them with additional community resources and explored other financial supports.
It’s the kind of short-term assistance that can help prevent a temporary setback from becoming a housing crisis.
Every Family’s Journey Is Different
Programs like Preferred Communities, a federally funded initiative serving recently arrived refugees, recognize that successful resettlement requires more than helping families find an apartment. It often means helping them navigate healthcare systems, schools, employment, legal processes and community resources while responding to unexpected crises along the way.
For Mwashiti, that’s the most rewarding — and sometimes the most difficult — part of the work.
“I am happy with what we can provide,” she said. “But I wish we could provide more because some clients are very, very different. Some really do need a lot of help, and some just need help for a few months.”
A Time of Uncertainty
The work comes at a time when immigration policies continue to evolve.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the federal government may move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for people from Syria and Haiti while legal challenges continue. TPS is a temporary humanitarian protection that is separate from refugee status, but the decision has added uncertainty for many immigrant families and reinforced the importance of trusted legal guidance.
Catholic Charities of Oregon continues to provide immigration legal services, refugee resettlement and intensive case management to help families understand their options and navigate an often-complicated system.
Because while the journey to safety may end when a family reaches Oregon, the journey toward stability is only beginning.
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