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Refugees are people fleeing violence and persecution—in Syria, Afghanistan, D.R. Congo, and other countries in crisis. They are seeking safety and the chance to move their lives forward.

The United States has a long tradition of sheltering those fleeing conflict and persecution. Once refugees have been identified by the United Nations refugee agency and cleared for resettlement, the U.S. government works with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ and eight other national resettlement agencies to help them restart their lives in America. Out of the nearly 32 million refugees in the world, fewer than 1 percent are considered for resettlement worldwide.

Refugees may be placed in a city where they have relatives or friends, or where there’s an established community that shares their language or culture. Other considerations include the cost of living and a community’s ability to provide medical services. However, as legal U.S. residents, refugees may live in any city and state they chose.

Learn more about how refugee resettlement works.

The first ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ office in Missoula was opened in 1979 in response to a local request to assist Hmong, living in refugee camps in Thailand, to relocate to Montana. Over the following ten years, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ resettled a total of 551 refugees, mainly Hmong.  In 2016, ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ was approached by a local advocacy group, Soft Landing Missoula,  who wanted  to restart resettlement again. With its help and the support of local officials and community members the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ launched an effort to reestablish ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡'s Missoula presence.

Refugees are greeted and welcomed at the airport by ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ case workers and volunteers to ensure their transition is as comfortable as possible. The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ also makes sure newly arrived refugees receive:

• A furnished home
• Help with rent
• Health care
• Nutritious, affordable food
• English language classes
• Help building job, computer, and financial literacy skills
• Education for their children
• Social services and community support
• Immigration legal services to reunite families and help our clients obtain travel documents, lawful permanent residency, and citizenship, among other benefits

The ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Missoula aims to provide many services to refugee and immigrant communities here. If you or someone you know are seeking support from the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡, please fill out this with your contact information and the kind of support you require assistance with. Someone from the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Missoula will follow up with you.

There are many ways that you can get involved with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s work in Missoula. You can:

 - Monetary donations, or in-kind donations for our Stop and Shop where individuals and families working with the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ can find household items such as bedding, cleaning supplies, clothes, etc.

Volunteer - Volunteers are integral to refugees' success as they arrive in the United States. Learn about opportunities to support refugees in Missoula. 

 - Receive monthly updates from the ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ in Missoula regarding our office's growth, volunteer opportunities, community events, and more!

Once they acclimate to their new environment, refugees often thrive and contribute to their communities, building careers, purchasing homes, and gaining citizenship. Since 2016, refugees have filled critical openings in the job market, started businesses, and have enriched the fabric of our community with their traditions, stories, experiences, and perspectives.