The refugee resettlement program at Catholic Charities Agency in Springfield announced its closure this weekend. They say it's due to federal budget cuts from the Trump administration.
Agency officials announced the closure in a Facebook post on Saturday. In the post, officials said they've helped about 318 people resettle in the last year alone.
Reverand Michael Goodreau, president of the agency, said in a statement that five employees who worked for the program were laid off prior to the suspension. He said while this is a difficult change for those affected, the agency will continue serving those who are vulnerable through "other outreach programs," but didn't specify which ones.
Rabbi James Greene, the executive director from Jewish Family Service, a resettlement agency in Springfield, said this loss of federal funding is going to change how many approach resettlement work.
"The federal government is undergoing a massive shift in terms of how we think about our obligation to other people,” Greene said. “So as that happens, as funding streams change, as the federal government walks back from its historic obligation to care for those in our community who are at risk that's going to cause a need to rise."
Greene said they are receiving some more clients since Catholic Charities announced the closure to their program. But he adds a lot of details still need to be worked out and JFS is committed to helping this vulnerable community.
Catholic Charities Agency was one of only three resettlement agencies in western Massachusetts. The other two being Jewish Family Service and Ascentria Care Alliance.
