2011 was an eventful and encouraging year for the resettlement program in North Dakota. A total of 354 refugees were resettled in the state, of which about 77%, or 273 individuals, were from Bhutan. The remaining 81 individuals came from Afghanistan, Burundi, Eretria, Congo, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Somalia, Sudan and the Ukraine. Families were placed in four North Dakota communities - Fargo, West Fargo, Grand Forks and Bismarck. A total of 245 individuals arrived to Fargo/West Fargo, 18 in Bismarck and 91 in Grand Forks.

In addition to the responsibility of providing services to families, New American Services also had a busy year hosting guests from around the country and around the world.

The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) conducted a monitoring visit. ORR focuses closely on services provided such as employment services. Their staff members, Pierrot Rugaba and Peggy Gilbert, visited in April. In July, the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) also conducted a monitoring visit. New American Services welcomed Makenzie Brookes and Kathleen Thompson. The findings by both federal agencies were positive, and the service provided to New Americans in North Dakota received a "nearly perfect" rating as stated by the PRM.   

Staff that provides overseas orientation to refugees before they travel to the United States - Elena Vitrenko, Sharad Tamang and Waringa Nganga (pictured above) - visited Fargo in May. They came to learn from refugees who had attended overseas orientation about the information that may have been missing and what information that was presented prior to travel that was most helpful. They also provided information to community partners so we could also better understand what information refugees have before they arrive.  

Bonnie Doty and Cheri Harrington from the Governmental Office for Accountability (GAO) were referred to North Dakota resettlement by national partners in resettlement. They travelled to North Dakota to hear more about the work of New American Services, as well as hear from our community partners. They conducted similar visits around the nation, and will compile a report of what they heard from us as well as others in the country. Their findings will be available later in 2012.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services (LIRS) invited New American Services to be a pilot city for listening and strategy sessions around the topic of "welcome." Approximately 40 members of the community, including those who had been resettled in North Dakota or had moved September here independently after being resettled elsewhere, gathered to hear what each of our experiences was with hospitality and welcome in September. Several staff from LIRS' Baltimore office, as well as board members and consultants, learned from our local partners about the resources and needs in our communities.

The Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) travelled to Fargo in December to provide a day-long training on cultural orientation (pictured above). The focus was on methods for teaching, resources available and major topics to be initially discussed and topics to include in ongoing orientation sessions. The materials that were provided will be a resource in many areas of outreach - to our clients, our partners and our community members.    

Finally, New American Services' Unaccompanied Refugee Minor program was licensed by the State of ND as a child placement agency. This is a recognition of the level of services this program provides to our clients and the foster families who welcome them.