She Knows What They Need

Thousands of refugees have been making San Diego their home in the past several years. Many of them have a plethora of needs as they adjust to our culture, food, medical care and law enforcement.

As the County’s Refugee Coordinator, Richele Swagler has been working with local community organizations and partners to make sure their needs are being met.

Swagler will have a stronger say on critical issues affecting new arrivals to the state and the region as a newly-appointed member of the California State Advisory Council (SAC) on Refugee Assistance and Services.

The SAC meets periodically to analyze critical issues affecting refugees and assures citizen involvement in policy discussions for the implementation of successful refugee resettlement programs.

“I will make sure that the needs of refugees are always front and center,” said Swagler, who has worked for the County Health and Human Services Agency for more than five years, almost two as Refugee Coordinator. “Fifty percent of the new arrivals in the state end up in San Diego County. It’s important that we make sure their concerns and issues are represented.”

About 15,000 refugees have made San Diego County their home in the past five years. The majority of them came from Iraq, followed by Somalia, Burma, Iran and Vietnam.

Upon their arrival, Swagler said, refugees encounter several barriers when settling here, among them language, transportation and employment.

Swagler works with several community organizations to help refugees adapt to life in the United States.

“Our goal is to help them find work so that they can become self-sufficient,” Swagler said.