Albany County donates essential items to newly arrived migrants

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Albany County extended a helping hand Monday to newly arrived migrants. Legislators dropped off essential supplies at Refugee and Immigration Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE), a local non-profit dedicated to helping immigrants.

The donations were part of a county-wide collection. Albany County Chairman Andrew Joyce said the purpose of the supply drive was to help refugees establish themselves in Albany and ensure that they are connected with the proper resources.

"So many of us wanted to know what we could do to help," he said. "These are human beings trying to make their way in the world, and they are here. You can really judge a community by how you welcome new people. And what we found is that Albany County is a very compassionate, wonderful place."

According to leaders with RISSE, around 450 asylum seekers have arrived in the Capital Region since May.