Inside the North Salina location of Catholic Charities, volunteers were conducting classes with Afghan students, providing information about their new country and new home in Central New York.

“They’re coming from military bases, where they’ve been for about two months,” Catholic Charities of Onondaga County program director Felicia Castricone said.

With the help of Catholic Charities, 140 people have relocated to the city of Syracuse. Each person has moved through a federal program after undergoing security checks on U.S. military installations.

Presently, there are about 40,000 refugees stationed at various military bases.

Until recently, Catholic Charities received notice that refugees were arriving only 24 to 48 hours in advance.

“It’s challenging when people come that quickly. You don’t get a lot of notice,” Castricone said.

That process changed just this past weekend. Refugees now are assigned by the federal government ahead of time, and will arrive in their new cities over the course of 16 weeks. The goal is to empty all bases by the end of February.

Castricone imagines less than 150 people will be placed in the Central New York area.

“We stay connected as long as they need us to be connected," she said. "A minimum of 90 days. For most families, we’ll remain connected for much longer.”

All who arrived were ushered into permanent housing thanks to the organization, but it hasn’t been easy. There are landlords the organization typically works with, but with the eviction moratorium, Castricone says there has been little movement and fewer openings.

At times, the organization is securing housing 24 hours before, or the morning of, a refugee’s arrival.

“We are working with a couple of places in order to provide transitional housing if we need to use it,” Castricone said. “I think we may in the very near future.”

About two-thirds of those who are resettled in the city arrived with family. A third were individuals traveling alone. Many of those independent individuals are now living together.

Along with Catholic Charities, they now have each other as they look to start a new life.