Vermont Business Magazine Executive Director Molly Gray of Vermont Afghan Alliance released the following statement in response to the January 27 White House memorandum pausing all federal grants, loans and other financial assistance programs:
“Overnight, the Trump Administration shut down Alliance programs for Afghans in Vermont by blocking access to the federal Payment Management System and thereby preventing the Alliance from accessing obligated federal funds.
In 2023, the Alliance was one of 15 organizations nationally awarded a 3-year Ethnic Community Self Help grant that supports refugees in adjusting to life in America and integrating into Vermont communities.
The grant allowed the Alliance to hire Afghan program officers and provide critical services to the Afghan community. The grant helps Afghans, particularly women, learn to drive. It funds legal rights training and civic engagement forums, interpretation assistance and case management.
These services are crucial to the more than 600 Afghans in Vermont for obtaining self-sufficiency, successfully resettling in rural areas where access to public transportation is limited, accessing employment and contributing to the Vermont economy.
These services directly support Afghan allies who supported U.S. military and diplomatic missions in Afghanistan. These services are not about “Marxist equity” or “wokeness” as the White House memorandum absurdly suggests, but rather basic commitments to individuals who came to this country for a better life and risked their lives for the U.S. Government.
This morning, the Alliance is left to fend for itself and the Afghan community is again abandoned despite their commitment to the State of Vermont and this country.
Those wishing to support the Alliance’s work can do so via the website.”
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