WTNH News Channel 8 / News / Crisis in Kosovo

	Refugees to make Connecticut home (East Hartford-WTNH) _ Hundreds of Kosovo refugees are scheduled to arrive at Fort Dix, New Jersey Tuesday. Of the 400 families coming to the United States, two will start their new lives in the Hartford area. Local Albanians and charities are helping the refugees make a home in Connecticut. News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports. Seeking a better life Aquif Celkupa moved his wife and two children into this one bedroom East Hartford apartment three years ago from Albania. An Albanian friend helped the Celkupas find a home, and he in turn will help Kosovar refugees now headed to Connecticut. Aquif Celkupa: "To find furniture, table, chairs, clothes everything for people coming here." Celkupa just signed up to work with Catholic Charities' refugee resettlement office. The phones there today don't stop ringing as hundreds of ethnic Albanians are scheduled to come to Connecticut in the next four weeks. So far more than 100 from Connecticut's Albanian community have signed up for government assistance to bring their own families to the area. Most refugees will be reunited with their own families, but Catholic Charities anticipates the need for unrelated sponsors in a couple of months. Robert Snyder, Catholic Charities: "There are several levels of sponsorship. Let's say a church group wants to get together and help a family -- they could help us by finding an apartment getting the kids enrolled in school, things like that." Individual families willing to take in a refugee are also appreciated. Celkupa studies English in his tiny apartment before heading to work every night. He's willing to help the Kosovo families also call Connecticut home. Celkupa: "My house it's a little small but if anybody need to stay here for sometimes I'm ready." If you're interested in helping, contact Catholic Charities at 1.860.548.0059. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Refugees to make Connecticut home
(East Hartford-WTNH) _ Hundreds of Kosovo refugees are scheduled to arrive at Fort Dix, New Jersey Tuesday. Of the 400 families coming to the United States, two will start their new lives in the Hartford area. Local Albanians and charities are helping the refugees make a home in Connecticut.
News Channel 8's Jocelyn Sigue reports.

Seeking a better life Aquif Celkupa moved his wife and two children into this one bedroom East Hartford apartment three years ago from Albania. An Albanian friend helped the Celkupas find a home, and he in turn will help Kosovar refugees now headed to Connecticut.

Aquif Celkupa: "To find furniture, table, chairs, clothes everything for people coming here."

Celkupa just signed up to work with Catholic Charities' refugee resettlement office. The phones there today don't stop ringing as hundreds of ethnic Albanians are scheduled to come to Connecticut in the next four weeks.

So far more than 100 from Connecticut's Albanian community have signed up for government assistance to bring their own families to the area. Most refugees will be reunited with their own families, but Catholic Charities anticipates the need for unrelated sponsors in a couple of months.

Robert Snyder, Catholic Charities: "There are several levels of sponsorship. Let's say a church group wants to get together and help a family -- they could help us by finding an apartment getting the kids enrolled in school, things like that."

Individual families willing to take in a refugee are also appreciated. Celkupa studies English in his tiny apartment before heading to work every night. He's willing to help the Kosovo families also call Connecticut home.

Celkupa: "My house it's a little small but if anybody need to stay here for sometimes I'm ready."

If you're interested in helping, contact Catholic Charities at 1.860.548.0059.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.