Level 1 Sponsorship

Level I Sponsorship

Time commitment: one-two weeks  Financial Contributions: $500-$1,000

Donations

Pre-Arrival Procure funds to purchase items or cover expenses based on the sponsor level your group has selected.

Collecting and storing items take about one month. If storage is available, collect new and gently used items prior to arrival. Have trucks readily available to transport items and track donations since they are tax-deductible to donors. CCC can provide tax form.

Note that there are some items that must be new such as mattresses, bedding, car seats, undergarments, etc. Also avoid any items that have been exposed to pets or smoke or have stains. Not sure about a donation?

Ask yourself, Would I want this in my house?

Welcome Kits

Purchase items for Welcome Kits (Appendix A, page 37) and have them sent directly to CCC. Visit www.cccofva.org/donate for Amazon wish lists.

Food Collection

Prepare a bag of culturally appropriate groceries for a refugee family. Use this as an opportunity to educate your congregation or community about the language and culture of the family.

Storage

If you are limited on space, ask families to collect items and store them until they receive notification of your group’s specified collection weekend and have them bring at that time. Make sure you have a delivery truck ready to go or schedule one with CCC.

Post-Arrival

Because refugee agencies receive federal funds, tracking donations and volunteer hours is vital to resettlement program. Remember to complete the forms and have the recipients sign where needed. Volunteer and donation forms can be found in Appendix C, page. 46.

Housing

Pre-Arrival Housing must be clean, accessible, and safe. It should be based on federal housing quality standards or local or state standards if local or state standards are higher than federal standards, and should include the following:

All areas and components of the housing (interior and exterior) should be free of visible health and safety hazards and in good repair, including no visible bare wiring, no peeling or flaking interior paint for dwellings built before 1978, no visible mold, and no detectable dangerous or unsanitary odors.

Housing should include identified and accessible emergency escape route(s); fire extinguishers in accessible locations where required; working locks on all windows and outside doors; appropriate number of working smoke detectors; windows in working order; adequate heat, ventilation, lighting, and hot and cold running water in working order; and electrical fixtures in good repair.

Housing should provide a minimum habitable area for each occupant, including number of bedrooms or sleeping areas.

Each residence shall be equipped with a stove, oven, and refrigerator in good repair and sink, flushing toilet, and shower or bath in good repair.

Each residence shall have easily accessible storage or disposal facility for garbage and be free of rodent and insect infestation such as bed bugs and roaches.

In cases of refugees with disabilities, housing should be free of, or permit the removal of, architectural barriers and otherwise accommodate known disabilities, to the extent required by law.

To the extent possible, the family should assume rent payment by the end of their initial 90 days after arrival, based upon projected family income from all sources. The family should be left with sufficient resources for other essential expenses (food, transportation, utilities, etc.) after rent payments.

Furniture and household items need not be new but must be clean, functioning, and in good condition. See Appendix B, page 38, for a checklist of furniture and household items.

Post-Arrival • Provide a culturally appropriate meal upon arrival (meals can be ordered from a local restaurant) • Review landlord information and explain how to contact for maintenance requests • Demonstrate how to use small and large household appliances and other kitchen equipment • Change batteries in smoke alarm to ensure they are new • Show families how to dispose of trash and recyclables and where and when to place bins curbside • Provide any initial yard work such as mowing the grass or shoveling snow to allow for a clear walkway