Five refugee families could soon settle in West Hartford. This is the result of a coordinated effort of local clergy to help with the refugee crisis.

Pastor Geordie Campbell of the First Congregational Church of Christ organized the first meeting of West Hartford clergy last September because of his own anguish over the refugee crisis.

“I felt like someone had to do something constructive,” Campbell said.

The original group of twelve clergy has expanded, and congregations have banded together to commit to sponsoring one family each. Campbell’s group, which includes a local synagogue and a Baptist church, last week completed mandatory training by Connecticut’s Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, known as IRIS.

“Which means that, as soon as IRIS can get us a family, we’ll have a family, ” Campbell explained.

Once the call comes, there’s two weeks to find and furnish an apartment, pay the security deposit and first month’s rent. Sponsors also help their families find jobs and receive medical care.