Has anyone worked on a refugee case?

[vandeeje]

I'm trying to locate family of a Serbian refugee that passed away in 2010. I know next to nothing about how becoming/being a refugee works. I did find him in the SSDI death index so I know he had a SSN. His name is Petar Plavsic and he passed away in Des Moines, IA. He was found unresponsive in his apartment and passed away at the hospital. He's listed on the unclaimed persons section of the NamUs site. I've emailed the Serbian Ambassador's office and a couple of refugee organizations. The US Government office emailed me back saying I needed to contact another department but it's just been back and forth.

Anyone have any advice?

 

[Laughing]

Not me, but you might find information or help here?

Refugee agencies in Iowa:

USCRI, Des Moines​

1200 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314, USA
refugees.org

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Des Moines​

601 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

catholiccharitiesdm.org


National organizations:

UNHCR - The UN Refugee Agency

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organisation dedicated to saving lives and protecting the rights of refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Visit our website and find out how you can support us.

www.unhcr.org

Home

Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central, & South America of the Serbian Patriarchate located in -, -

www.serborth.org

Global Refuge | Welcome & hope since 1939

For more than 80 years, Global Refuge has provided the resources, guidance, and community to help provide a way forward.

www.lirs.org

Migration Refugees Immigration

Migration, Refugees, & Immigration The Episcopal Church seeks to address issues of global migration and its root causes as the number of displaced people surpasses 100 million worldwide. We work […]

www.episcopalchurch.org

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is the emergency and refugee program of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.

pda.pcusa.org

Other denominations also have programs, afaik most of the Serbian resettlement happened a few years ago?

If the deceased received help from one of these groups, that group may still have contact information for family.

Keep in mind that there may be no surviving family members to contact. The deceased may have been left completely alone before leaving Serbia.

Call the news media where the deceased lived. Perhaps an article or two would be noticed by someone who knew him or knew of the family?

Facebook page for him?

Please keep us posted!

jmho ymmv lrr

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[steeltowngirl]

I'm trying to locate family of a Serbian refugee that passed away in 2010. I know next to nothing about how becoming/being a refugee works. I did find him in the SSDI death index so I know he had a SSN. His name is Petar Plavsic and he passed away in Des Moines, IA. He was found unresponsive in his apartment and passed away at the hospital. He's listed on the unclaimed persons section of the NamUs site. I've emailed the Serbian Ambassador's office and a couple of refugee organizations. The US Government office emailed me back saying I needed to contact another department but it's just been back and forth.

Anyone have any advice?

Everything that @Laughing said above. Great info.

Also, I would try to talk to resources in Des Moines that assist Serbian refugees. They may be able to point you to a local community that might remember Petar.

Here is one article that mentions a church:
St. Demetrius Serbian Orthodox Church and also a few local community members - Balać at 515-669-2000 or Dobrosavljević at 515-313-7787. Long shot, since he’s been gone since 2010, but you never know.

ST. DEMETRIUS SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
www.orthodoxdsmia.com
4655 NE 3rd Street, Des Moines, IA 50313
Rev. Vladimir Terzic; Cell: (574) 809-6309
E-mail: svdimitrijedmi@gmail.com

Serbian immigrants aiding Balkan flood victims

Two former Serbian refugees began a campaign to collect donations for the Balkan region.

www.desmoinesregister.com

This article mentions USCRI Des Moines

• Phone: 515-528-7525
  Fax: 515-528-8087
  Email: info@uscri-desmoines.org

USCRI Des Moines' “A Decade of Welcome”: Celebrating a Community in America’s Heartland - USCRI

I would also join a Facebook group for Des Moines and post there. You never know.

Google search returned a deceased Petra Plavsic at 1101 Crocker St. Des Moines 50309. Looks like Riverview Manor. Again a long shot, but if was him that once lived there, someone possibly might recall him.

Best of luck and please keep us posted with progress.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I noticed this on NamUs:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Case specialist Jessica Hager 817-374-2765
ME Megan Rausch (515) 286-2102