Sarah Murray, case manager for the Afghan resettlement project being coordinated by Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma admires a quilt donated for Afghan families settling in Stillwater. With more apartments furnished, only certain household items are still needed and donation drop-off days have been canceled. Michelle Charles/Stillwater News Press

STILLWATER, Okla. – The process of resettling Afghan refugees to a central Oklahoma city should be finished March 1, ending with about half the total originally projected.

Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma had initially said 160-200 individuals occupying 40 living units would be relocated from Tulsa. Stillwater was selected as a suitable smaller community for placement because it had a good inventory of rental housing. And as the home of Oklahoma State University, one of the state’s two research universities, it has an unusually diverse population and an active Islamic community with a mosque.

OSU quickly offered up to 25 of its two-bedroom apartments, and a few private property owners have agreed to make rental houses available. But many Afghan families have more than two children and need more bedrooms. A two-bedroom unit can only accommodate up to five people, according to federal housing guidelines. But although rent payment is guaranteed until the families get on their feet, owners of homes suitable for larger families have been slow to make their properties available, said Mike FitzGerald, Operations Manager for Catholic Charities of Oklahoma. That limits the families who can be settled in Stillwater.

Stillwater has received 30 individuals and will probably get about 40 more, unless additional larger homes become available. He said Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma has already welcomed 650 Afghans to Tulsa and is only expecting 150 more.

“Stillwater could have a lot more people if we had more larger homes available,” FitzGerald said. “If any landlords want to get involved, now is the time. This will be wrapping up in a few weeks.”

In spite of the housing limitations, Stillwater residents have been generous in their support, he said. In fact, Catholic Charities has more furniture than it can use in Stillwater and is making arrangements to ship the excess to Tulsa for the families living there.

The regular Saturday drop-off at First Baptist Church has been discontinued. Those who want to make donations are asked to contact Catholic Charities staff to see if their items are needed and make individual arrangements to bring them in.

The needs are becoming more specific as apartments get furnished and more families get settled. As of last week, items like futons and area rugs are still needed, but there was also an increased emphasis on individual requests for items like TVs, working cell phones and sewing machines. Children’s bicycles were also needed, as well as helmets and bike locks.

FitzGerald said the effort still needs cash donations to pay for medical and dental care not covered by Medicaid and to help with miscellaneous expenses. Gift cards the families can use at Walmart or the Himalayan Grocery Store until they get stabilized financially are also appreciated.

With news of the hardships people in Afghanistan are facing this winter, including the risk of famine, he said Stillwater’s newest residents are anxious to find jobs so they can take care of themselves and send money back home to help loved ones.

“They’ve really got that weight on their shoulders,” FitzGerald said.