Scranton Welcomes Bhutanese

SCRANTON — An ethnic community in Lackawanna County now has a place to learn and much more.

The Bhutanese community of Scranton dedicated their new center on Pittston Avenue Sunday.

Bhutan is a state in south Asia.  Many of the immigrants lived in refugee camps for years before coming to the United States.

Scranton’s Southside Neighborhood Association agreed to let the community use the building as a place for members to study for their U.S. citizenship tests.

The center will also be used to teach children about their Bhutanese heritage.

“The people of Bhutan, we’re helping them today as they not only assimilate to the United States, but they also retain their culture,” said Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty. “Just as all the other ethnic groups over the years have done, they are now starting anew in our city.”

Leaders said there are more than 170 Bhutanese families currently living in Scranton, making it one of the largest Bhutanese communities in the country.