BCICRR
Bucks County Interfaith Coalition for Refugee Resettlement
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors
Unaccompanied Refugee Minors are teenagers who have been orphaned or separated from their families while fleeing persecution, violence, or abuse in their home country. Through nonprofit resettlement agencies, the National Office of Refugee Resettlement places them in a foster families and or supervised group homes. In Bucks County, there are URMs who are housed in a group home in Bensalem run by Bethany Christian Services and others are fostered in private families such as the Myles family. Since 2019 BCICRR has provided volunteer support such as tutoring, driving instruction, and financial assistance to unaccompanied minors in our area.​
It is critical to have community support. URMs need mentors, interpreters, tutors, people who can offer driving lessons and so much more. It means a great deal just to have someone take them on a bike ride, to a coffee shop or on a local hike. To provide this support or to open your home as a foster parent, click here to contact us for more information.
The Myles Family
and Their Foster Sons
Alisa Myles, a member of the BCICRR community, and her family have supported many Unaccompanied Refugee Minors in their home over the years and regarded many as their foster children.
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Nasser, age 15 from Cameroon, was the first to arrive and quickly became part of the family. Industrious and motivated, he dove into school and got a job as a dietary aide at a nearby facility for seniors. He is now enrolled at Drexel University where he majors in Global Studies. Nasser just completed a successful study abroad program at the Brussels School of Governance. Nasser is due to graduate in 2026, after which time he will be seeking a job in international relations. Nasser comments “I am grateful to have the Myles be part of my family. I don’t know where I would be without them.”
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The Myles family has supported several young men over the years including youth from Darfur, Senegal and Guatemala.
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Alisa speaks to the value of her work with Unaccompanied Refugee Minors and the opportunity for all of us to engage: “Bethany Christian Services still needs foster families. I urge other families to consider the rewards. To see the world through a different lens is a gift that makes me a better person. All it requires is an open mind and an open heart. We didn’t know what to expect. It turns out to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. It doesn’t come without its challenges, but the rewards outweigh them.”