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THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, AUGUST 8 -14, 2019 • Page 6
REFUGEES
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number of refugees allowed
to resettle under the act to
35,000, according to the
Congressional Research
Service.
Officials with CRSA
claim there are more than
25.9 million refugees
worldwide in search of a
home.
During the town hall,
several faith leaders said
they are concerned for
the future of refugees in
America.
“We know that these
people want a better life. We
have to ask ourselves, ‘what
are we going to do about
it?’ We have to step out of
our comfort zone, and we
have to act,” said Louisa
Merchant, coordinator of
refugee ministries at All
Saints’ Episcopal Church.
“We have to do things we’re
not comfortable with like
picking up your phone and
calling your senator and
congress person and telling
them that this is not OK.”
Merchant, who works
with refugee communities
in Clarkston and Stone
Mountain, said the U.S.
government has the
resources to help refugees in
need.
“Once [America] was
this shining example of
refugee resettlement and
now look at what we are
doing,” Merchant said.
Congressman Hank
Johnson was the keynote
speaker for the event.
Johnson said he co
sponsored the GRACE Act.
The act would guarantee an
annual refugee admission
ceiling of 95,000. Since
the passing of the Refugee
Act, from 1980 to 2016 the
U.S. set an average refugee
admissions ceiling of
95,000, according to CRSA
officials.
“These people are
fleeing from tragic
situations,” Johnson said.
“If we can help them, clothe
them, house them and give
them the opportunity to be
self-sustainable, then you
look up and see that they
are actually contributing
to make our country
better. This is a country of
refugees. It has been and
it is now. That’s what the
GRACE Act is all about.”
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School supplies donated by several organizations were sorted by elementary and middle schools.
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HELPS
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Elementary and Freedom Middle
School.
On Aug. 6, a representative from
The Champion Newspaper delivered
school supplies to eight teachers at
Freedom Middle School.
Freedom Middle School teacher
Yvonne Strouv said her students
will benefit from the donation.
“Some of our students come
without their supplies so it is always
nice to have them. The students
will have no excuse to not do their
work and it is awesome that [The
Champion] selected us to donate
supplies to,” Strouv said.
Teacher Nathaniel Hayes said
he wants his students to understand
the importance of giving back to the
community through efforts such as
school supply drives.
“Getting involved makes
communities stronger,” Hayes
said. “When these students see that
there is community involvement
it’s a positive motivation for
them. Subconsciously students
will see how they must take on
the ownership of making their
communities better.”
Ila Jarvis, who transferred from
Rockdale County’s public school
system to Freedom Middle School,
said she’s ready for the new school
year.
“The principal [Marchell
Boston] is absolutely wonderful. He
has created a positive culture in this
school. It has been wonderful. I’m
overwhelmed in a good way. I often
ask myself, ‘What took me so long
to come to DeKalb?’ Jarvis said.
