The gratitude of the RRNS staff from our clients, the community, and one another is boundless. When the news of a change in administration was first announced– marking a shift from a welcoming to a profoundly unwelcoming orientation toward refugees– our staff grieved. They grieved for themselves, their friends and loved ones, the community they had welcomed over the last two years, and for the clients they knew were stuck, waiting in uncertainty abroad.

But they didn’t wallow, they mobilized!

Our staff agreed unanimously to do everything in their power to welcome as many refugees as possible, in a very short time frame, to ensure as many people could be out of harm’s way and in safety and community with us. Our staff navigated this tremendous influx of arrivals with grace, compassion, and professionalism. Then, on inauguration day we heard the news of the unprecedented pause of the Refugee Resettlement Program and our staff grieved again.

However, they didn’t skip a beat: they continued to work with new clients with care and empathy. Shortly after our staff received news that the State Department was initiating an unprecedented “Stop Work Order,” and we grieved yet again. Staff feared for their job security and futures.

But strangely, that was not their first concern; their first concern on this day, like all the days before, was “What about my clients?” The RRNS team has worked almost around the clock welcoming new families at the airport and making sure they got to their destination safely. They have started their workdays well before 8 AM and ended them well past 5 PM to ensure clients got safely to and from medical appointments. They have worked weekends to ensure families had sufficient food, were familiar with using heaters over the long Maine winter, and knew whom to contact in an emergency.



To everyone on the team, we want to say that we are so proud of each of you! We are so grateful to have worked with you and admire your continued selflessness and commitment. You are the heroes of this story!