She said in some cases, an older son or daughter will find work to boost the household finances. Nachatilo said maintaining work for the Afghans has been critical, particularly for those heading larger households. More: How a chance grocery store encounter brought a local teen and Afghan refugee family together 'It really is a win-win for all involved.' 'I think it is a clever way to overcome the obstacles,' Nachatilo said. Nachatilo said this particular man had a car, but he drove from his apartment to another Oklahoma City apartment complex where the van picked up Afghans because he couldn't afford the fuel prices to drive his own car to work. She said the Jewish community has helped 13 Afghan families resettle in the Oklahoma City area, and she initially learned about the Grand Casino shuttle from an Afghan father who began taking the van to get to and from work at the casino.

Stefani Nachatilo, Afghan resettlement coordinator for the greater Oklahoma City Jewish community, said she was pleasantly surprised when she learned about the Grand Casino shuttle for its Afghan employees. troops in August 2021.Īn Afghan refugee makes a bed at the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort in Shawnee. Volunteer sponsors, veterans and nonprofit leaders who participated in an interim study on the Afghan Placement and Assistance Program in August identified transportation as one of the major challenges facing Afghans since they arrived in Oklahoma.Ībout 1,800 Afghans are resettling in the state after fleeing their homes in the aftermath of the fall of the U.S.-based Afghanistan government, the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan's capital city of Kabul and the complete withdrawal of U.S. 'As long as they continue to do great work for us, we'll be helping them out as much as we can.' 'We just want to make sure they get on their feet where they're able to provide their own transportation, so we're willing to work with them,' he said. Joe Garcia, Grand Casino general manager, said the van transportation is temporary, but it will be offered as long as the Afghans need it. Volunteer sponsors assisting these newcomers said employment is crucial to their success as they adjust to a new way of life and culture in the U.S. The transportation supplied by Grand Casino Hotel & Resort is one way community organizations, businesses and individuals have come alongside Afghans who are making a new home in Oklahoma. Several times a week, a shuttle takes Afghan refugees in Oklahoma City to and from work in Shawnee.

An Afghan refugee works in the kitchen at the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort in Shawnee.

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