Claire B. Halverson

Trump aid funding creates crisis for ECDC, refugee resettlement

DUMMERSTON-In Brattleboro, we are fortunate to have the Ethiopian Community Development Center (ECDC), which supports refugee resettlement. Our community has been enhanced by the contributions of many refugees, including those from Afghanistan and several countries in Africa.

Refugees have benefited from language classes and caseworkers who assist with housing, medical resources, and education/training opportunities. Volunteers provide tutoring and transportation for medical appointments. I have had the privilege of getting to know several families through volunteering as a conversation partner.

ECDC is supported by federal and state funding, which has paid staff and provides $1,650 per individual upon arrival. ECDC has welcomed over 50 new arrivals since October. Of these 50, 34 are still within their first 90 days and are eligible for the financial support normally provided by per-capita funds.

Tragically, that financial support has been withdrawn due to the stop order on all reception and placement services that was received on Jan. 24. It has also reduced ECDC to a skeleton staff.

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No one is safe from Covid until low-income countries have equal access to vaccine

We have lost millions of lives around the world to the Coronavirus and its variants. To end this pandemic, a large share of the world needs to be immunized with a vaccine. Vaccine inequity is everywhere. G7 countries - Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United...

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Not facing racial inequities will not make them go away

I am disturbed by President Trump's recent memo regarding diversity training. This memo, issued on Sept. 4 and followed by an executive order on Sept. 22, states that the executive branch agencies have spent taxpayer dollars on training government workers to believe divisive anti-American propaganda. It states that diversity...

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Attitude and aging

Think about a time when you were hit by adversity. Was it an accident, the death of a loved one, a major financial crisis, the loss of a job, or some other traumatic event? How did you respond - like the willow or oak? Although we face crises throughout life, certainly the “golden years” are no exception. One crisis for me was falling and breaking my neck. I believed a positive outlook could help my recovery. The worst part was...

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Migrant farm workers need ID, drivers’ licenses

The Legislature is taking up a bill to make drivers' licenses and identification cards available for all Vermont residents. This is important, because a driver's license provides essential mobility in our rural state to fulfill fundamental human needs and rights to access health care, food, transportation, housing, socializing, and work. Currently, many undocumented migrant workers are not able to get a driver's license. Farmers rely on migrant workers to produce our dairy products, fruits, and vegetables. Both farmers and their...

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