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IRIS Executive Director Maggie Mitchell Salem announced that the group will stop operating its New Haven office by the end of March, and will officially exit by April 30th.
Furthermore, IRIS is also “in the process of winding down" the Hartford office.
Call it the Trump effect.
IRIS had been struggling after a total of $4M in federal funding was frozen by the Trump Administration, including a $3M contract to resettle refugee families and a separate $1M contract under the Welcome Corps to help 15-20 organizations sponsor refugee families.
Around half of the staff has been laid off since January.
Education and food pantry programs will continue to operate, as other employees shift to virtual work.
Last month, IRIS held a "Run for Refugees" fundraiser that generated $350k, not enough to make up the lost federal funding but still double the usual amount.
Nonetheless, Mitchell Salem said it was unclear if the central office would be reopened, and the organization is instead trying to "meet the urgency of the moment."
