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View: Resettlement Assistance Programs

The U.S Department of State's Bureau for Population Refugees and Migration has created several pathways to refugee resettlement into the United States. People coming into the United States through the following pathways qualify for refugee benefits through ORR refugee programs. The Office of Maine Refugee Services at Catholic Charities administers the federal refugee programs as the replacement designee for the State. To access these refugee benefits, please fill out the following benefit application form and submit it to our central intake and referral unit for an assessment. Once received, and after a determination that the applicant qualifies for any benefit, someone from our office will reach out within 48 hours.

WelcomeCorps is a service opportunity for Americans in communities across the country to make a lasting impact by helping refugees build new lives in the United States. Working in groups of at least five people, individuals will become sponsors that come together to help refugees transition to life in their new community, all along the way supported by tools and resources from WelcomeCorps as well as ongoing guidance from resettlement experts. Sponsor groups connect refugee newcomers directly to their communities, helping them build a social network, become self-sufficient, and gain a stronger sense of belonging. These shared acts of welcome strengthen communities and build support for refugee protection by directly involving private citizens in refugee resettlement. In the state of Maine, MEIRS is the resettlement agency that acts as the private sponsor organization that has partnered with WelcomeCorps to help support resettlement through WelcomeCorps in Maine. To learn more about the WelcomeCorps program, please visit their website here.

Individuals and families can qualify and opt for the Cash-Based resettlement pathway. Eligibility for this option requires that their US tie is able to provide adequate housing and support in accessing benefit services during the first 90 days of the resettlement period. Refugees will be still assigned to a resettlement agency and assigned to the Cash-Based resettlement pathway after completing an assessment of the US tie. Once the family arrives in the US, the resettlement agency will conduct the assessment and confirm their eligibility. Once approved, the family will receive the cash payout, for funding their resettlement and the case will be closed with the resettlement agency. The resettlement agency will conduct a well-being check-in with the case once during the 90-day period.

Virtual R&P provides a virtual alternative to the traditional, in-person Reception and Placement (R&P) program. Through Virtual R&P refugee newcomers that qualify for this alternative pathway will be paired with a virtual case manager who will assist them with the resettlement process for their first 90 days upon arrival in the US. This program is designed for refugees who may not be able to physically reach a resettlement office in their state.

The US State Department in collaboration with the US Department of Health and Human Services has announced Welcome Corps as a pathway for sponsorship of refugees. Welcome Corps provides an opportunity for a group of at least 5 people to be trained and raise funds to welcome refugee newcomers. For more information and for frequently asked questions, please visit https://welcomecorps.org/ (translation available on webpage).

Welcome Corps is a national program that is not overseen by the Office of Maine Refugee Services. However, if you are considering participating or are actively participating in refugee sponsorship in Maine, we recommend contacting our office. Please contact Christy at [email protected] to discuss available programs and services for newcomers.

Other current US sponsorship programs include Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan (CHNV) Program and the Uniting for Ukraine Program. Please contact OMRS to discuss these programs further or to find out if sponsored individuals are eligible for refugee services upon arrival.

If you have questions about your eligibility for assistance and the resettlement process, see the Office of Refugee Resettlement's FAQ page. 

OMRS highly recommends that all sponsors and Ukrainians with humanitarian parole status connect with one of the three refugee resettlement agencies in Maine as soon as possible for assistance in accessing services.