By Elizabeth Miller
Catholic Charities of Cleveland announced Friday it raised a record $12 million dollars in 2015. Although most of that money goes towards a variety of services and programs, the organization leads the area in the number of refugees it resettles in Northeast Ohio.
Catholic Charities says most of that $12 million will go towards more than 150 programs and services in the community.
About $250,000 goes to migration refugee services programming, which helps settle around 300 people annually.
The charity helps pay for up to 6 months of rent once refugees move to Northeast Ohio.
President of Catholic Charities Patrick Gareau says after 6 months, they are usually financially independent.
“We can assist them for up to a year, but by that time, most of them are self-sufficient and learning the American way," said Gareau.
"It's culture shock for them. Some of these people have lived in refugee camps for 10 years, or more. They’ve never had indoor plumbing, they’ve never had electricity.”
Gareau says the majority of their resettled refugees come from the Himalayan nation of Bhutan.