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Oklahoma State University Opens Campus to Afghan Newcomers

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Dr. Kyle Varner gained a unique perspective on the devastating impact of economic collapse in Venezuela while working as a medical volunteer at the Colombian-Venezuelan border. His time there inspired him to take action to sponsor young adults from Venezuela seeking freedom, opportunities, and safety in the United States. More than 6 million people have been forced to flee their homes due to political oppression and life-threatening violence in Venezuela. Following the success of humanitarian sponsorship programs for Ukrainians and Venezuelans—which inspired more than 200,000 Americans to step forward as sponsors—the U.S. Government has now also designated Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans as eligible for humanitarian sponsorship. 

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

Sayeed, an Afghan painter, found safety in the U.S. after the fall of Kabul, but struggled to adjust to a new culture. Fortunately, the San Diego Afghan Refugees Aid Group was there to help. After witnessing the fall of Kabul, Zulaika Rahim was inspired to support Afghan refugees like Sayeed who bravely left everything behind to find safety in the United States. She became the president of the San Diego-based refugee agency, which helps Afghan newcomers find their footing in their new community. In Sayeed’s case, that meant providing vital resources and support—including buying art supplies to enable him to pursue his lifelong passion and share his talent with his new community.

How a Simple Donation Helped an Afghan Newcomer Feel More at Home in the U.S.

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).

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

Latest press releases

Latest stories of welcome

Rotary voices: Ukraine assistance program changes lives

American sponsor helps Ukrainian brothers feel at home

Mother-daughter duos create an ‘immediate bond’ as sponsors and newcomers

Latest webinars

On January 30, Haitian Bridge Alliance and Welcome.US presented a webinar to raise awareness on Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans and the resources and tools available to support sponsors on their sponsorship journey. 

In January 2023, the Biden Administration expanded Process for Venezuelans, a program providing Venezuelans with a pathway to safety in the United States, to include eligible Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans. This new program—Process for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans—is modeled on the Uniting for Ukraine program, which requires the support of an American sponsor in order for newcomers to find a lifeline in the United States. Americans in communities across the country will be critical to ensuring this safe and orderly pathway for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. These newcomer families can find safety with the support of a sponsor in the United States.

Please visit [welcome.us/uscis-sponsorship](https://welcome.us/uscis-sponsorship) to start your sponsorship journey.

Webinar: Sponsoring Haitian Newcomers (English)

In Welcome.US's kickoff Welcome Connect community event of 2023, Welcome.US Senior Director of Sponsorship Initiatives, Krista Kartson, moderates this important discussion with Welcome Connect sponsors. Hear honest insights and anecdotes about their sponsorship journeys and their answers to various questions from those beginning the sponsorship process.

Webinar: QA with Current Sponsors—hear their answers to various questions

This webinar is a follow-up to Community Sponsorship 101 and will offer more in-depth information on the Uniting for Ukraine initiative. We will review the application process and explore sponsorship commitments: the legal and financial considerations. We will also introduce Welcome Connect, a powerful new platform that matches newcomers with sponsors.

**Event moderator:**

Andrij Dobriansky, Director of Communications for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA)

Register on [Welcome Connect](https://welcomeus.service-now.com/sponsor?id=welcome_user_registration&sys_id=a70b036347f3c110f967ca5c346d43be) today and join the Welcomers stepping forward as potential sponsors who are changing lives.

Webinar: Sponsorship Step-by-Step—part 1

This sixth and final webinar of the Creating Communities of Welcome series on Cultural Orientation will provide sponsors with the tools and resources to navigate cultural differences as they prepare to welcome newcomers. 

**Event speakers:**

Denise Bell, Partnerships Director, Welcome.us Community 
Jamie Bussey, Director, Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange, IRC 

**Resources on Cultural Adjustment:**
- [How to Apply Cultural Humility](https://coresourceexchange.org/guide/apply-cultural-humility-in-cultural-orientation/)
- [Cultural Adjustment Activities](https://coresourceexchange.org/activity-bank/cultural-adjustment/)

**Cultural Adjustment Videos:**
- [English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9_yFH2gF6M&t=0s)
- [Russian](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vbuwPt4jFo&t=0s)
- [Ukrainian](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1O1pVhOQU_8&t=0s)

**Resources:**
- [CORE](https://coresourceexchange.org/) 
- [Settle In](https://settleinus.org/) 
- [Resources for Sponsors](https://coresourceexchange.org/resources-for-community-partners-and-sponsors/)
- [MPI: Ukrainian Immigrants in the United States](https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/ukrainian-immigrants-united-states) 
- [USCRI: Resources for Ukrainian Allies](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hl44_xpWxA)
- [CMS: Health Coverage Options for Certain Ukrainian Nationals](https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/eligibility/downloads/hlth-cov-opt-fr-cer-ukrainian-natnls.pdf)
- [NRC-RIM: COVID-19 Resources for Ukrainian New Arrivals ](https://nrcrim.org/ukrainians/covid-19-resources-ukrainian-new-arrivals)
- [Country Navigator: A Cultural Guide to Hosting Refugees from Ukraine ](https://www.countrynavigator.com/a-cultural-guide-to-hosting-refugees-from-ukraine/)
- [Amazon: Ukrainian Phrasebook for Helping Refugees](https://www.amazon.com/Ukrainian-Phrasebook-Helping-Refugees-transliteration/dp/9198693727) 

Webinar: Navigating Cultural Differences

Discover how rewarding it can be to welcome newcomers into your community.

BE A WELCOMER

News & stories

Little Amal will walk 6,000 miles across the United States this fall to share her message of hope—and call for more people in the U.S. to sponsor refugees.

Be a Welcomer with Little Amal: Offer Hope to Refugees

## One Little Girl. One Big Hope.

Why is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian girl traveling the world? Little Amal—whose name means “hope” in Arabic—has journeyed across 15 countries, meeting more than one million people and engaging tens of millions of followers online. This fall, she visits the United States. _Amal Walks Across America_ is produced by The Walk Productions in association with Handspring Puppet Company and is one of the world’s largest, free public art festivals. Along her epic cross-country journey, she will join more than 1,500 artists and participate in 100-plus local events in 40 towns and cities.


## Open Arms, Welcoming Hearts

Thank you to everyone who joined us to welcome Little Amal at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.! Welcomers greeted her warmly and shared a friendship bracelet, helping her feel at home in this new city. As she continues her walk across the United States, Amal is spreading a message of welcome and inviting those she meets to become Welcomers by learning more about sponsoring refugees who are seeking safety and stability in the United States. This event was possible thanks to the generous support of The Shapiro Foundation.