Global Friends Coalition has resettled 132 refugees in Grand Forks

May 23—GRAND FORKS — Global Friends Coalition has resettled 77 refugees in Grand Forks this fiscal year, and the executive director hopes to bring in the federally-allocated 100 before year's end.

Executive Director Cynthia Shabb told the Herald the federal government is pushing for people to be resettled — partly due to the upcoming election, she said.

"And the numbers are so high," Shabb said. "We're adding more and more refugees in the world, because of the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel. That just creates more refugees."

Refugees from those two regions are not yet eligible for resettlement through Global Friends, though; they must be registered through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, she said.

"But the need is very great out there," Shabb said.

Global Friends has provided New American integration services for the area since 2008, but

became a resettlement agency last year

in response to an ongoing refugee crisis.

In FY 2023, the nonprofit resettled 55 individuals. That number has been surpassed with months left in the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.

Of the 77 people resettled so far in FY 2024, refugees came from Venezuela, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia. Two came alone, while the rest either brought family or had family members already resettled here.

The largest barrier for resettled refugees has been transportation — getting people to classes, medical appointments and jobs, Shabb said.

"Shifts are often outside the time that buses run," she said. "The location of some of the manufacturing companies are outside of the bus routes."

A large number of refugees who relocated in 2023 have since obtained driver's licenses and are purchasing cars because of this transportation barrier, Shabb said.

Global Friends provides driver's manuals, helps people get to the DMV to take their permit test and allows them to use their cars for the driver's test. Grant funding also allows for some to take driving lessons.

"There is a lot of carpooling going on once somebody gets a license," Shabb said. "We also rely a lot on volunteers."

The community has been very welcoming, though, and it shows in how quickly refugees are finding jobs, she said. For those resettled in FY 2024 so far, approximately 72.3% were employed within 90 days. The top three employers are Philadelphia Macaroni, McDonald's and Walmart.

Information about Global Friends' current volunteer and donation needs can be found on the

Global Friends Coalition

Facebook page.