Helping Those in Need
The welcome kits being assembled today are headed to the Lutheran Refuge and Immigration Services to help the 1,670 Afghan refugees expected in Washington State in the next few months. Already more than 300 have arrived from the 50,000 evacuated from Afghanistan.
There are a number of other ways you can help. Here is a listing of refugee resettlement agencies and their websites. You should know that some have already been overwhelmed by offers of support, so please check the websites before contacting anyone. If and when the agencies will need help, it can range from apartment set-up, providing rides, tutoring services and welcome kits (but please check first on the need). What they all could use right now are financial donations.
Seeking volunteers for many of the services listed above. https://lcsnw.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/lcsnw/donation.jsp?campaign=148& or by mailing to LCSNW – Donations Lockbox #1034, PO Box 35146, Seattle WA 98124-5145 (Write refugee services in the memo line).
A donation page is at https://www.facebook.com/donate/1499796960360335/
Their donation page is at https://give.worldrelief.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2547&mfc_pref=T&2547.donation=form1
Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/dioceseofolympiaincIn
donations can be made at https://www.jfsseattle.org/give-email/
Afghan Health Initiative(and Afghan American Community of Washington
These two nonprofits have provided a range of services to Washington’s Afghan community in the past and are gearing up to assist in the resettlement effort.
In addition, the UCC has issued a toolkit for how churches and individuals can welcome Afghan refugees.
The Immigration Task Force is currently in conversations with World Relief Seattle about forming a team of volunteers that might help assist one or more refugee family in cooperation with the World Relief staff. The church also has ongoing discussions about forming collaborative teams with other area churches. If you are interested in these efforts, want more information, or would like to join the ITF, email us at dispraguew@gmail or bobwyss@gmail.
DianneSprague and Bob Wyss
