by Georgiana Vines
Bridge Refugee Services, which helps resettle refugees with protected status in Knoxville and Chattanooga, is grateful for a $15,000 pledge of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, says Noah McBrayer Jones, Bridge’s Director of Communications and Development.
The Diocese and other local faith-based organizations have stepped up since Bridge was notified Feb. 28 that the agency stands to lose the balance of $2.3 million from funds budgeted for the fiscal year Oct. 1, 2024-Sept. 30, 2025 and which the Episcopal Migration Ministries would have distributed.
“The community is responding to fundraising and stepping up, which we do very much appreciate,” Jones said in a telephone interview.
Shortly after inauguration, President Donald Trump wrote several Executive Orders which jeopardized federal funds to 10 national agencies, EMM included, who help resettle refugees in the U.S. in partnership with the federal government.
Jones said First Presbyterian and Cedar Springs Presbyterian Churches have made large donations. “…we cannot give exact amounts of donations, but I can offer they’ve stepped forward with significant support,” he said.
“We also have a number of partnerships with smaller organizations,” he added.
He said he is working with foundations and local governments to obtain additional money.
The refugees served by Bridge have come to the United States to rebuild their lives after suffering persecution. Jones describes the refugees as having left their country of origin, left a second country and must be on their third or fourth country before applying for protected status in the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
In Tennessee, Bridge is the only resettlement agency across 33 counties. The agency has been operating since 1982. The agency is serving 492 clients, of which 58 arrived during the current fiscal year and did not receive federal money that was intended to help them, Jones said.
At the time of the stop-order, refugees received $1,650 in total (with $1,250 to clients entirely) for three months with the federal program to be used for housing, utilities and items like that, Jones said. That is the money Bridge is having to make up for continued services.
Bridge also provides the refugees with social and employment services and connects them to English classes and other community services.
Bridge has done some realignment of its programs and staff to continue to help immigrants, resulting in two employees losing their jobs, Jones said.
A large number of those resettling in Knoxville are from the Congo while a number of people from the Ukraine have gone to Chattanooga. Humanitarian parolees and SIV holders from Afghanistan came to East Tennessee when the U.S. withdrew forces in 2021 and were evacuated from their country.
Any individual or organization interested in assisting Bridge is encouraged to contact Jones at njones@brigerefugees.org.
Georgiana Vines is a member of St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral and a retired News Sentinel associate editor.
This article was edited on Sunday, March 30, 2025 for clarification.