New Americans in Greater South Bend: Welcoming Michiana

Refugee Resettlement

Faith communities were at the forefront of assisting displaced persons and families, fleeing war and persecution, in South Bend and remain engaged. The end of the Vietnam era brought many refugees to the local community, and the need for a coordinating organization became an imperative that URC helped to create Refugee Services.

The URC has submitted an application to reestablish a refugee resettlement office in St. Joseph County that would, if approved, be able to welcome up to 100 people starting in late 2021. As proposed, the URC program will be a partner with Church World Service, which affiliates with many communities across the US, including Exodus of Indianapolis. Stay tuned for developments!

New American Economies

The URC’s Welcoming Michiana program participated in a ‘deep dive’ into the statistics concerning the numbers of immigrant or foreign-born residents of South Bend, St. Joseph County, and the nearby region.