Dorcas International Institute is one of the state’s largest immigration and refugee organizations. Since the election, many Rhode Islanders have reached out to the institute, a nonprofit that provides education, resettlement assistance and other services for immigrants and refugees.
Executive Director Kathy Cloutier said some people are making donations; others want to know how they can help to make sure immigrants still feel welcome in the state.
“I think people are reacting to the fear that immigrants and refugees, especially Muslims, are feeling – and they are feeling real fear,” said Cloutier. “And I think it’s basically a response to their neighbors feeling that way.”
The organization has also been invited to address several interfaith services.
“Specifically, to speak about refugees and their plight,” said Cloutier. “One church passed the plate around and raised almost $1,400 right that evening for us.”
Cloutier said the increase in support has been particularly strong in the period directly following the election. Fundraising overall is up 50 percent since July, compared with the same period last year.
“We’ve seen a lot of positive response from the community wanting to help refugees and immigrants, and so we’re getting an outpouring of people wanting to volunteer in our programing or donating money,” said Cloutier
Nationally, the ACLU has also reported a rise in donations following the presidential election.
Like many immigrant and refugee service providers, Dorcas International Institute staff remain uncertain how immigration and refugee policy may change under President-elect Donald Trump. The nonprofit, along with the Catholic Dioceses of Providence, helped resettle more than 300 refugees over the last year, including more than 100 Syrians, a group Trump has suggested he might ban from entering the country citing concerns about terrorism.
