NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Nashville announced it will undergo a major restructuring due to recent federal funding cuts to the U.S. refugee resettlement program.

“In recent months, federal actions have severely weakened the national resettlement infrastructure,” said Judy Orr, executive director of Nashville’s Catholic Charities. “When our national partner, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, ended its participation in the program, it became clear that we could no longer sustain this work locally, even if refugee admissions were to resume at previous levels.”

As a result, Orr said the organization will lay off 51 staff members through mid-September and also close their ‘New Americans’ program. She added that they are expecting more layoffs in the coming weeks because of the concurrent loss of ancillary overhead funding tied to these federal programs.

“Compounding these challenges is the high cost of living in the Nashville area, particularly the lack of affordable housing,” Orr said. “For years, federal stipends to support refugee housing and basic needs have remained unchanged, even as local expenses have continued to rapidly rise.”

Catholic Charities clarified that it will continue to operate the Tennessee Office for Refugees, which administers the state-wide refugee resettlement program under a federal contract, as a separate unit.

Nashville’s Catholic Charities said it served 26,000 people facing poverty, housing instability, and other urgent needs in 2024, and that the demand is constantly growing.

“We remain committed to serving Middle Tennesseans in crisis through our expanding network of Family Resource Centers and satellite offices,” Orr said. “Though our work will look different moving forward, our commitment to the most vulnerable remains as strong and steady as ever.”

For more information, visit Nashville Catholic Charities’ website.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/nashville-catholic-charities-announces-layoffs-due-to-federal-funding-cuts/