21-02-2025
Catholic Charities of Onondaga County forced to make job cuts; 'It was painful and continues to be painful.'
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR) — Catholic Charities of Onondaga County slashes over 50 jobs after the Trump Administration halted funding for the agency's refugee resettlement program.
The organization's Executive Director, Michael Melara, said cuts were made after the administration's decision to not reimburse the non-profit that is currently settling 378 refugees in the city.
'We are owed, somewhere in the area of, over one million dollars from the federal government with no guarantee or promise that we're going to receive those funds,' Melara said.
Catholic Charities of Onondaga County forced to make job cuts; 'It was painful and continues to be painful.'
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Eleven employees have been fired and 40 others have been placed on indefinite furlough.
'I met with them,' he said. 'You could see…the shock and disbelief in their face. It was painful and continues to be painful.'
But he wants the public to know that the program remains intact, with hundreds of people in need of assistance.
'For folks that we serve, this is a frightening time and we need to reassure them…which actually means we need more resources to be able to do this kind of work and we find ourselves with a whole lot less,' Melara said.
Melaro also said Syracuse would not be the city it is today without the refugee community.
'We are the true beneficiaries of this work, not only Catholic Charities, but the Syracuse community is the true beneficiary of having refugees with us, among us, working here, creating a very vibrant community and a vibrant economy,' Melara said.
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