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Why a Volunteer Doctor in Venezuela Was Inspired to Become a Sponsor

Oklahoma State University did not hesitate to help when they heard that Afghan newcomers were coming to their state. They provided a safe place for 70 newcomers by offering housing for Afghan families in their graduate student housing units. Aziza was forced to flee her home in Afghanistan after facing repeated threats due to her advocacy for women's rights before the Taliban took control of Kabul. But, with the assistance of Oklahoma State University and dedicated volunteers, Aziza and her family now have hope for a brighter future in the United States—with the security to rebuild their lives and work toward achieving new goals. Oklahoma State University is a founding member of the Welcome Campus Network, established by Welcome.US in December 2021 to amplify the work of higher education institutions in welcoming and supporting newcomers.

Oklahoma State University Is Trailblazing When It Comes to Helping Afghan Newcomers

After seeing people fleeing the war in Ukraine, leaving their homes behind, and taking with them only what they could carry, Dennis and Kathy were moved to find a way to help. Dennis and Kathy were able to connect to Polina and bond over their mutual love of dogs. Polina, her son, and her friend Max moved to Hartville, S.C., and quickly felt embraced by Kathy and Dennis and their community. Sponsoring newcomers is the best way to ensure that they are able to thrive in this country. 

A Bond Among Pet Lovers Leads to Sponsoring a Ukrainian Family

About Welcome.US

74% of grantees are affiliated with veteran, Afghan, refugee, Muslim, or other faith-based groups; Grants will invest in local, regional, and national efforts, serving 33,400 Afghan newcomers 

**WASHINGTON, D.C.**—The [Welcome Fund](/who-we-are/the-welcome-fund), a project of [Welcome.US](https://welcome.us/) and administered by GoFundMe.org, is awarding over $1.5 million to 39 local and national organizations engaging Americans in supporting Afghan newcomers. 

This funding provides one-year grants to organizations in 30 states and the District of Columbia that are working to recruit and engage volunteers to directly support Afghan newcomers. The Welcome Fund selected grantees based on their ability to engage community members in assisting Afghan newcomers and prioritized three key service areas identified as top needs: workforce development, social emotional wellness, and education and career support for transitional-aged young adults. 

In total, the Welcome Fund received 149 applications representing a wide range of volunteer engagement approaches. The 39 grantees will collectively serve 33,400 Afghans and engage 5,470 community members in supporting newcomers as they rebuild their lives in the United States. 

Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash highlighted the grant winners at the [2023 Voices of Courage Awards Luncheon](https://www.womensrefugeecommission.org/events/voices-of-courage-2023/) hosted by the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York City. 

“More than a year after the fall of Kabul, communities across America continue to welcome and assist our Afghan allies as they transition to life in the United States. These grants from the Welcome Fund will help ensure we have the volunteer capacity and organizational infrastructure to meet their needs, from job and skills training to emotional health support and mentorship,” said Ash. 

“With this funding, we are recognizing the critical role of community-based organizations in refugee resettlement and equipping newcomers with the tools they need to thrive. At a moment when forced displacement is at an all-time high globally and basic human rights are under threat, we are building a nation of welcomers to support the long-term success of all those seeking refuge, now and into the future.” 

Some of the organizations receiving support from the Welcome Fund in this round of funding include: 

- [The Spero Project](https://www.thesperoproject.com/) based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, works to serve the refugee community by connecting them with relationships, resources, and learning opportunities. The organization matches local volunteers with women newcomers to expand their social networks and foster long-term, reciprocal relationships in Oklahoma City. Volunteers play key roles as classroom assistants, leading one-on-one study sessions, transporting off-site newcomers to classrooms and permit tests, and providing transportation to employment.
- [Immigrant and Refugee Outreach Center](https://www.irocenter.org/) (IROC), serving the national capital region (Washington D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia), harnesses the power of community to welcome newcomers by delivering support, education, and outreach. IROC’s immensely successful New Neighbor Program (NNP) connects newcomers with volunteers to identify resources to meet social, financial, and material needs, including food assistance, workforce development, and career support.
- [Boys & Girls Clubs of America](https://www.bgca.org/), headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has a mission to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. With this grant, Boys & Girls Club volunteers will serve as mentors to Afghan newcomers, providing career and academic support. 
- [Special Operations Association of America](https://soaa.org/) (SOAA) and Moral Compass Federation, have been leaders in the veteran community in assisting and advocating for Afghan veteran newcomers. SOAA, in partnership with Moral Compass Federation and 11 volunteer-run membership organizations with a nationwide network of veterans, have the goal to improve the employment skills and opportunities and social emotional wellness of an estimated 4,000 Afghan Special Operations Forces (SOF) veterans and families.

A full list of grantees is available [here](https://assets.ctfassets.net/eatbs65s9spt/3vjEbbFsFGOmx5o1dnAvAu/ce397ceb999e1ee6a441e938e22db96e/Welcome_Fund_All_of_Us_2023_Grantees.pdf).

“We are thrilled to partner with Welcome.US on this Afghan-focused Welcome Fund announcement,” said Amanda Brown Lierman, Interim Executive Director of GoFundMe.org. “It’s an honor to do our part to support the hundreds of nonprofits working to help resettle our new neighbors. And we remain grateful for and inspired by the grantees for their efforts to help those fleeing impossible circumstances. This partnership is a demonstration of our shared mission to provide help and vision for a better future—and an incredible showcase of collective impact.”

To learn more and donate to the Welcome Fund, visit [welcome.us/welcomefund](https://welcome-us-next.vercel.app/who-we-are/the-welcome-fund).

Welcome Fund Awards $1.5 Million in Grants to 39 Organizations Helping Support Afghan Allies

Donations from the public will support a $1.5 million fundraising goal, 
make safe travel more accessible for newcomers

**WASHINGTON, D.C.**—April 2023. Welcome.US, American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT), and Miles4Migrants have launched [Welcome Connect Travel](https://welcome.us/connect-travel), a new program that makes flights more accessible to those seeking refuge in the United States. Those forced to flee often leave behind all but what they can carry, and the costs of international travel can be prohibitive. Welcome Connect Travel removes the cost of travel as a barrier for both sponsors in the United States and the displaced families they are supporting through humanitarian sponsorship. 

Beginning today, Welcome Connect Travel is launching a [campaign](https://miles4migrants.org/welcome-connect-travel/) to raise $1.5 million, which will fund the flights for newcomers to travel to the United States. New humanitarian sponsorship programs from the U.S. government allow individuals who have been forced to flee Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Ukraine, and Venezuela find safety in the United States with the help of an American sponsor. 

Welcome.US launched [Welcome Connect](https://welcome.us/connect) last year, a first-of-its-kind online platform, to help match displaced people seeking refuge in the United States with Americans interested in sponsoring them. Many are now finding a path to refuge with the help of an American sponsor, but finding a sponsor is only the first step of their journey to safety.

“We know that the cost of traveling to safety can pose a financial burden for newcomers and the sponsors who will support them as they rebuild their lives in a new community, and we don't want that cost to stand in the way of people finding a path to safety. We are so excited to collaborate with Amex GBT and Miles4Migrants to launch Welcome Connect Travel to help make transportation easier and more equitable. With the ingenuity of Amex GBT and Miles4Migrants, Americans everywhere can now directly support newcomers and their sponsors in meeting this important need. It's another way to show that when we band together, we can exponentially increase our capacity to welcome,” said Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash.

As donations are raised, Welcome.US and Miles4Migrants will work with sponsors to book a flight on behalf of the individual newcomer or family they are welcoming, ensuring that cost and logistics are not a barrier to safe travel. Amex GBT will book flights for sponsors using Welcome Connect.

Paul Abbott, CEO, Amex GBT, said: “Travel is a force for good – this belief drives our purpose as a company. Travel powers progress. It is the engine room of the global economy, driving trade and growth. It connects people and communities, helping to bring down barriers and create new opportunities. We are committed to backing our beliefs with actions. By working with Welcome.US, we can deploy our experience and technology to help vulnerable people travel to safety.”

With the average cost of a single flight at $1,600, public donations will help provide a lifeline to newcomers, giving them the opportunity to safely travel to their new communities. Miles4Migrants and other partner organizations including Welcome.US will spearhead the public fundraising campaign to purchase flights. 

“Every individual has the human right to seek refuge and live in a safe place. Beyond the violence, persecution, and threats in their own countries, they still face all the transportation burdens, which makes their journey even more arduous. We are honored to partner with Welcome.US and Amex GBT, utilizing our expertise in flight booking and connections with airline companies to help individuals in need move towards safety with dignity and hope,” said Glaydon de Freitas Filho, executive director, Miles4Migrants.

This is the [second partnership](https://welcome.us/miles) between Miles4Migrants and Welcome.US. Together the two organizations received donations of over 500 million airline miles and $2 million in the fall of 2021,  making it possible for over 18,000 Afghan newcomers to reach their new homes in the United States.

Welcome.US, Amex GBT, and Miles4Migrants launch Welcome Connect Travel to help displaced people seeking refuge in the U.S.

Success in program’s first year proves America’s capacity to welcome newcomers


**WASHINGTON, D.C.**—Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash issued the following statement today on the anniversary of the launch of Uniting for Ukraine, a groundbreaking United States government program that provides people fleeing the war in Ukraine the opportunity to seek refuge in the United States with the help of an American sponsor.

“One year ago, the Biden Administration launched Uniting for Ukraine after Russia’s invasion sparked the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II and millions of Ukrainians were forced to flee their homes. Harnessing the long tradition of communities welcoming those seeking refuge, this program opened the door for everyday Americans to directly support people in need of safety in the United States for the first time in decades.

“In announcing Uniting for Ukraine, President Biden set an ambitious goal for the United States to welcome at least 100,000 displaced Ukrainians. Uniting for Ukraine has not only proven the power of what can happen when we bring communities into the work of supporting newcomers, it has laid the groundwork for a seismic shift in how we approach refugee resettlement. Through sponsorship, we can greatly expand our country’s capacity to welcome people from around the world who are in need of safety. Today, over 235,000 people have filed applications to sponsor displaced Ukrainians, and collectively we have welcomed nearly 125,000 Ukrainians to the United States.

“Indeed, the success of Uniting for Ukraine has led the Biden Administration to expand sponsorship pathways to other vulnerable populations, including Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans through a new humanitarian parole process announced this year. In addition, the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, which allows communities to sponsor refugees from crises across the globe.

“As Americans in communities across the country — rural areas and cities, red states and blue states, in congregations of all faiths — raise their hands to help, we have clearly shown that America is a nation of welcomers committed to addressing the global refugee crisis with innovative solutions. At a moment when global displacement is at an all-time high, we honor the anniversary of Uniting for Ukraine by calling on more Americans to step up and serve as sponsors so all people can live with dignity and have the opportunity to fulfill their human potential.”

To learn more about Welcome.US and how to support displaced Ukrainians through community sponsorship, visit [ukraine.welcome.us](https://ukraine.welcome.us).

You can be a bridge to safety for people seeking refuge in the U.S.

250,000+ sponsor applications filed by everyday Americans to bring Afghans, Ukrainians, Haitians, and others to safety.

40 of America's most influential companies mobilizing resources, innovations, and employees to support to those seeking refuge.

440+ organizations from across the country supporting newcomers and powering a nationwide welcome movement.

Introducing the Welcome Corps

Why a Volunteer Doctor in Venezuela Was Inspired to Become a Sponsor

Oklahoma State University Is Trailblazing When It Comes to Helping Afghan Newcomers

A Bond Among Pet Lovers Leads to Sponsoring a Ukrainian Family

More from Welcome.US

Welcome Fund Awards $1.5 Million in Grants to 39 Organizations Helping Support Afghan Allies

Welcome.US, Amex GBT, and Miles4Migrants launch Welcome Connect Travel to help displaced people seeking refuge in the U.S.

Welcome.US Statement on the One-Year Anniversary of the Uniting for Ukraine Program

Be a Welcomer