For over four decades, Catholic Charities Counseling and Adoption Services (CCCAS) has provided essential refugee resettlement services to the Erie community. As a long-standing partner in refugee resettlement, we have helped countless individuals and families build new lives, offering support in housing, employment, language learning, and cultural orientation. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen changes in federal funding, CCCAS may no longer be able to sustain these critical services at the level prior to the changes caused by current executive orders.
Background on the Funding Suspension
CCCAS received funding for refugee resettlement through a contract with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), one of ten national resettlement agencies. This funding was directly provided by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) for programs such as Reception and Placement (R&P), Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance (ERMA), and the Refugee Resettlement Academy (RRA).
On January 24, 2025, an executive order led to an immediate 90-day suspension of U.S. foreign aid programs, including PRM-awarded refugee assistance grants. Despite advocacy efforts from USCCB and other resettlement agencies, on February 27, 2025, CCCAS was officially notified that these federal programs were terminated. This action has resulted in the complete loss of funding for our resettlement programs, affecting our ability to continue serving over 80 active refugee clients in Erie.
The Impact on CCCAS and Our Clients
Since January, CCCAS has been navigating financial uncertainty as we have continued to serve refugee families while awaiting reimbursement for the costs incurred. Without these funds, it has been extremely difficult to meet payroll obligations, pay vendors, or sustain program operations. We have exhausted all available savings and financial reserves.
As a result, CCCAS has been forced to lay off refugee staff employees and, with no alternative funding available, we must now begin to wind down certain refugee services, while ensuring that we are meeting our ethical and moral obligation to support our clients. This means that vital support such as housing assistance, employment placement, and cultural orientation services may no longer be available to existing refugee clients through our agency. The discontinuation of these services will place already vulnerable populations at even greater risk, potentially exacerbating the existing challenges of homelessness and economic instability in Erie.
Advocacy and Next Steps
USCCB, along with five other national resettlement agencies, has taken legal action to challenge the termination of these essential refugee programs. A federal court ruling is expected by March 7, 2025. While we remain hopeful for a positive outcome, CCCAS must prepare for the reality that these services will no longer be sustainable under current financial constraints.
We are calling upon our community, stakeholders, and local leaders to stand with us in advocating for the restoration of these programs. CCCAS is exploring alternative ways to support affected families and urges anyone interested in assisting to reach out. While we are unable to continue these services in their current form, we remain committed to our mission of serving those in need and will seek new avenues to uphold that commitment.
The decision to end our refugee services has been incredibly difficult. We deeply appreciate the support we have received from our community, donors, and staff who have tirelessly worked to provide these critical services. We will continue to provide updates as new developments arise.
For more information or to contribute to our ongoing efforts, we encourage you to visit our website!