An Iowa community remains committed to helping newcomers
Photos by Kathryn Gamble for Welcome.US
When policy changes ended refugee sponsorship programs in early 2025, Jane Patton was determined to find a way to continue being a Welcomer. After all, Jane does not give up—supporting refugees and immigrants has spanned multiple decades of her life.
Jane’s mission work has taken her to Jamaica, Ghana, and northern Uganda. She has served as a long-time volunteer with local resettlement agencies in Iowa. Welcoming is part of who she is, so when she found a private sponsorship opportunity through the Welcome Corps, it felt like the natural next step.
“When Welcome Corps became available, I just immediately felt like, ‘Why would I not do this?’ There’s a family waiting somewhere for a permanent, safe home, and here I am,” she shared.
Not knowing how the United States Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) might be impacted by the policies of a new administration, Jane was motivated to act quickly.
Over Thanksgiving weekend 2024, Jane and her husband Jack gathered nine friends to form a sponsorship group. The group came from diverse backgrounds, and many had never met before, but they all came together in support of welcoming newcomers. Soon after, they matched with a Syrian family of four.
The family had their flights booked and were set to arrive in Iowa in February 2025.
In late January, however, the family’s flight was canceled. Due to policy changes, they could no longer travel to the U.S.
Not only was Jane devastated for the family, but also for the sponsor group she brought together. But Jane did not let this disappointment become a setback in her pursuit of helping vulnerable populations.
Because of the close relationships Jane built with local resettlement agencies through volunteering, she was able to monitor what arrivals the new administration permitted. Afghans applying for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) were still allowed to seek safety in the U.S through sponsorship.
We just started pivoting to what we can do.
This pivot and commitment from the Pattons and their sponsor group was life-changing for the Zaki family.
Before the fall of Kabul back into Taliban control, the Zakis lived a typical life in Afghanistan. They worked, studied, played, and lived with relative security. This normalcy abruptly ended in August 2021.
“We lost our jobs, our children could not attend school, and my wife’s work with the CARE team put us at risk,” Sadiq, the father, said. CARE, where Arifa worked as a security guard, is the Office of the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts, which worked to resettle Afghans who served alongside the U.S. military during times of war. “We had to move constantly to avoid getting arrested. We lived secretly. It was hard for us.”
For years the Zaki family managed to stay afloat, but by March 2025, they knew they could no longer remain in Afghanistan.
“It was March 18, 2025, that we decided to leave Afghanistan. My mom lost her job, and we knew we could not stay. It was a hard journey,” said Shahamat, the couple’s now 20-year-old son.
The situation at the border was terrifying. The family faced bribes, harassment, and exhaustion. They had nowhere to sleep or shower, constantly being disturbed by both Taliban and Pakistani soldiers.
Shahamat had to burn the documents that linked his mother’s work to the U.S. government for their own safety, keeping copies of them on his phone, where they were luckily not discovered.
After three grueling days, the family finally escaped, spending one month in Pakistan. Within a month of their arrival, they found out they would soon be evacuated with the help of No One Left Behind, a Virginia-based nonprofit that has supported the evacuation of over 5,000 Afghan allies since its founding.
When we heard we were going to the United States, it felt like we were given a new life, like we were born again.
In April 2025, Arifa and Sadiq Zaki, along with four of their seven children, arrived in Des Moines, Iowa.
Due to age restrictions on SIV applications, the oldest three children were unable to travel with the family because they were over the age of 21. Two are resettled in Germany, while their oldest daughter is in China on a student visa.
The sponsor group is desperately searching for options so that the Zaki family can soon be reunited in the U.S.
Jane and Jack’s community has rallied in powerful ways for the newly arrived Afghan family.
An Amazon wishlist was cleared in just a few days. Donors contributed sewing machines and furniture, each contribution making all the difference. When the oldest daughter risked being sent back to Afghanistan from China, they helped raise funds so she could re-enroll in school.
Every act of welcome and support proved impactful.
Some people move their hearts without moving their lips. They may not announce it, but they step up when it counts.
Although the Zaki family has only been here for a few months, they are quickly building new lives.
To prepare for the arrival of the Afghan family, the sponsor group received financial support through the Welcome.US Veteran Sponsor Fund. Jack, whose brother is the qualifying veteran in the sponsor group, shared, “The Veteran Fund directly impacted our ability to assist the Zaki family in significant ways!”
Most notably, the funds provided to the sponsor group enabled them to assist the Zaki family in their purchase of two high-mileage cars, along with the necessary licensing and registration fees, “What a life-changer these vehicles have been for the Zakis new life in the U.S.,” Jack said.
Shahamat has started college, pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. His passion was evident: “I’ve been far from education for almost four years. It’s a great, unique feeling that I’m going back to college. I can’t sleep tonight because I’m so excited.”
The rest of the family is also thriving. From finding new careers, resuming high school, and taking English classes, the Zaki family is joining their community and enjoying their newfound sense of normalcy.
Despite the hardships the family has faced, they emphasize the importance of resilience.
“Move forward with full dedication and hope. The journey has hardships, but there are always so many kind people who can help. You are not alone,” shared Arifa and Sadiq.
Never lose hope. God opens so many doors. If a person loses hope, that person is like the walking dead. So just never lose hope.
The Zaki family has found safety and security in the U.S., but many newcomers face instability due to ongoing policy changes. Newcomers are unsure of what comes next, and countless others are left without the option to seek refuge.
You can share your support for private sponsorship pathways so that opportunities for safety and security, such as those provided by the Pattons and their sponsorship group, are available to other newcomer populations.
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