Refugee Resettlement & the Economic Inclusion of New Americans

Conflict, violence, and persecution are among the main reasons people are forced to flee their homes and home countries. We are currently witnessing the highest number of displacement ever recorded, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Historically, the United States has been among the world’s leaders in the compassionate resettlement of refugees. Houston is a particularly welcoming city as approximately 1.4 million Houstonians have immigrant background.

New Americans are resilient, resourceful, and an asset to their communities. With diverse backgrounds and skill sets, newcomers strengthen our communities in many ways. According to data from the International Organisation for Migration, International Monetary Fund, and the International Rescue Committee, new Americans fill essential occupations, bring new knowledge and skills, as well as boost innovation. In addition to the cultural contributions to their new communities, welcoming new Americans thus has direct economic benefits.

However, as the rhetoric surrounding migration has turned more negatively over the last years, new Americans face long and uncertain paths to citizenship and legal protection. They are thus left alone to navigate in a new country without access to government programs and safe and fair work opportunities.

Plant It Forward’s programming is designed to enable New American Farmers to overcome these barriers. Through our various programs, we provide a network of over 70 New American farmers with access to the knowledge networks, markets, capital, and land that they need to establish and grow thriving agricultural enterprises.

Want to help resettle refugees in the US? Or interested in how New Americans contribute to food secruity and food access in local communities?