Why So Many Refugees In Winooski????

[Henry]

Don't know if you have ever driven up Main Street in Winooski around the time school gets out in the afternoon, but it is unbelievable how many immigrant children attend that school.  You see them dressed in their native dress, so you know they are immigrant children.  I am not sure why so many would live and go to school in Winooski.  Today's Burlington Free Press had an article on it, so it is not my imagination.  Somebody told me it might have something to do with St. Michael's College.  Click on the following link to read if you wish:

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090317/NEWS02/903170316

[gpdvt]

Now don't quote me on this, but I believe it has a lot to do with the amount of subsidized housing units in the city. With the various fed. programs avialable for refugee's these folks would be able to get access to the housing available until they are able to get along on their own.  As a former Winooski citizen(42yrs) I'd like to say it's great we can mix all these groups together. Unfortunately the costs to the taxpayer for ESL programs really hurts the economics of the average citizen. I at least hope that all the students will at least benefit in the long run with exposure to the various traditions and values of other cultures.

[Sue W.]

I think the Refugee Resettlement Program is located in or very near to Winooski.  My daughter works for the City of Winooski and has a lot of contact with people of many different backgrounds.  She told me some of the African immigrants come from areas that have no written language.  Often it is the children that speak for the family and teach their parents English.