Welcome.US

When Kabul fell to the Taliban in 2021, Sediqa Fahimi and her younger sister, Mursal, quickly evacuated to the United States because Sediqa’s advocacy work put her at risk. Their parents and siblings remained behind. In the U.S., Sediqa joined Welcome.US, a nationwide initiative inspiring and empowering Americans to welcome newcomers like her. She dedicated her time to supporting fellow newcomers while tirelessly searching for a way to bring her family to safety in the U.S. The process was not easy, and the family faced immense struggles in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Three years later, thanks to the kindness and tireless work of the Team Fahimi sponsorship group, their family finally reunited. Read their story → https://lnkd.in/e4NAtfum

Rivly Breus sponsored more than 30 people from Haiti, Ukraine, and Cuba through humanitarian parole, a legal pathway that enables Americans to sponsor families forced to flee their homes and help them find safety in the U.S. Sponsors commit their time and resources to help newcomers locate homes, enroll children in school, find jobs, navigate local transportation, and more. Recent policy changes are impacting the work of sponsors like Rivly and the newcomers they support. “It’s also left us in limbo because we’re not able to answer some of the questions that our sponsees have,” Breus said. “We’re not able to give them the encouragement that we usually do, or the hope.” Read more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e5G-znnJ

Three years ago, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes in search of safety. Lives were upended instantly, leaving families in crisis. Americans urgently sought ways to help, and the U.S. government responded with the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) program. Since its launch, nearly half a million Americans applied to be sponsors, providing a lifeline to thousands of Ukrainians. Powered by generosity and compassion, this program showcased the best of our nation. American sponsors from all 50 states legally and safely helped newcomers find homes, enroll children in school, and join the workforce. As aggression and fighting continue, Ukrainians remain displaced worldwide, unable to return to safe and stable homes. This program that offered refuge and changed communities for the better is now in jeopardy. Recent policy changes have suspended the program, and legal parole status is at risk. Welcome.US and our welcoming community remain committed to supporting Ukrainians facing new challenges today as talks to end the war progress. Visit Welcome.US to learn how you can support sponsors and the newcomers they welcomed.

Learn how you can publicly share your story of welcome by joining the Welcome.US team during a live webinar on Thursday, Feb. 27. You’ll hear from our community of Welcomers who have shared why welcoming matters to them and get tips from our Welcome.US team about how you can tell your own story. Register here → https://lnkd.in/eYXMjrqR

Books open our worlds to new experiences. One way to support refugees is by learning about and understanding their stories. Many have endured significant hardships, fleeing their homes in search of safety and stability. We've compiled a list of books by refugee authors, offering you the opportunity to read the story in their words and gain insight into their experiences. Add these books to your 2025 reading list, and share your favorite refugee authored titles by using the hashtag #BeAWelcomer Learn more here → https://lnkd.in/e7jwm3sH

Welcoming newcomers is a powerful act of compassion. Women of Welcome, a community of more than 150,000 Christian women across the country, is dedicated to understanding and practicing biblical hospitality toward the immigrant and refugee. Showing her faith in action, Women of Welcome Director Bri Stensrud mobilized her church small group to sponsor a Muslim family last spring. Watch the video to see Bri’s inspiring story. https://lnkd.in/exWN2AFU

You can support our community partners who directly provide resources and essentials to newcomers with your donation to the Welcome Fund, an initiative of Welcome.US. Welcome.US supports hundreds of community organizations and thousands of sponsors and the refugee newcomers they have welcomed. Through the end of February, all donations will benefit frontline organizations that aid newcomer families in your community. Your generosity ensures that our partners can continue providing the resources and essentials families rely on. Be a beacon of hope for these families who’ve arrived through legal, safe, and orderly pathways to rebuild their lives here, after unimaginable loss. Donate → https://lnkd.in/eFcNVfHx

What began as a small grassroots effort among friends has grown into a community-wide commitment to welcome and support newcomers—that is the story of Welcome.US partner and Welcome Fund grantee, Soft Landing Missoula. This community-based organization helps refugees build new lives in Missoula, Montana, offering everything from educational events and youth programs to housing and job support. Their work embodies the concept of the “long welcome,” recognizing that true belonging extends beyond the initial needs upon arrival and involves the entire community in creating a home. In addition to essential support like housing and employment, Soft Landing Missoula emphasizes joy and compassion. As Executive Director Mary Poole shares, “Before we even knew what resettlement was, before we even knew what our heart might be in all of this, there were hundreds of Missoulians who had reached out wanting to help in some way.” This passion and commitment extends to everything that Soft Landing Missoula does. Read their story here → https://lnkd.in/e8C9XTbM

This Thursday, join Welcome.US in partnership with No One Left Behind for a live webinar explaining the latest policy updates impacting sponsorship programs and how you can voice your support for sponsorship to your congressional representatives. Hear from our community of Welcomers and get your questions answered during a live Q&A with our guest speakers. Register here → bit.ly/WebinarWhatsNext

Many of you have asked how to seek support for sponsorship applications or show your support for sponsorship programs in response to the recent policy changes by President Trump's administration that impact sponsorship programs. To assist, we’ve created a guide for contacting your federal representatives, offering practical guidance on how to engage with your congressional representatives as a sponsor or Welcomer. This guide provides information for contacting your congressional representatives, sample messages you can customize and send to your representatives, and information on the details needed to submit a case-specific inquiry. Read the guide→ https://lnkd.in/edaPAyGZ