Marnie Dawson Takes Migration Affairs Post
Episcopal News Service. February 21, 1980 [80057]
GREENWICH, Conn. -- Mrs. Robert Dawson has joined the staff of the Episcopal Church's Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief as Assistant Director for Migration Affairs. Her appointment was announced to the Executive Council at its February 13-15 meeting here by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin.
Prior to her assuming this post, Marion M. Dawson -- who goes by the name Marnie -- was Assistant Director for Church and Agency Relationships, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She has been engaged in refugee work since 1973.
In her position, Mrs. Dawson will be building a program to increase resettlement opportunities in the Episcopal Church. While her primary responsibility will be to provide a fully serviced program for the resettlement of refugees in this country, her attention will also be focused on other migration matters such as problems abroad.
She hopes to build a structure to help parishes in their resettling of refugees and to work directly with parishes in their efforts.
About her new job, Mrs. Dawson said, "I want to encourage an interest in an ongoing ministry through the private sector linked to dioceses and the structures of the Church. Refugee work is the work of the whole Church. Through my office I hope to be able to coordinate efforts and to facilitate the resettlement of the thousands of refugees who need the help of Episcopalians. "
She said, "I hope we can also help other disadvantaged people in society, others who want to make a new beginning."
The board for the Presiding Bishop's Fund has set a goal of resettling at least 6,000 refugees during 1980. In 1979 a total of 3,000 were resettled through the office of the Fund, with an additional 600 sponsored but who have not yet arrived. In 1978 only 811 refugees were resettled through the office.
Mrs. Dawson, her husband and two children are residents of Greenwich, Conn., where they are members of Christ Church.