Scott Goodstein on The 10 Best Places You Can Contribute to Help Afghan Refugees

SCOTT GOODSTEIN

THE 10 BEST PLACES YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO HELP AFGHAN REFUGEES ScottGoodstein.com

As an American looking at the current situation in Afghanistan due to the Taliban takeover, it can be hard to know where to offer your support.

WHERE SHOULD YOU CONTRIBUTE? Since last Sunday, over 12,000 people have been evacuated from Afghanistan’s Kabul airport. 7,000 of those people were evacuated by the U.S. military with thousands more expected to evacuate. The organizations listed below offer a variety of resources to refugees and displaced people, including hands-on support, immigration resources, and political advocacy. Here is a comprehensive list of the 10 best organizations where you can help contribute to Afghan refugees.

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE More than 20 Offices Across the U.S. The IRC has been working in Afghanistan since 1988 and has helped to provide critical information in a number of languages as well as cash assistance, health services, and education for children in crisis or conflict. The IRC helps Afghan refugees across the United States by providing housing, food, and medical assistance immediately before assisting them in learning English, finding jobs, and the citizenship process. https://help.rescue.org/donate/afghanistan? ms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t501&initialms=ws_resq_top_nav_btn_191203_t501

KEEPING OUR PROMISE, INC. ROCHESTER, NY Keeping Our Promise, Inc. is a resettlement program that assists refugees by initially providing help with the Special Immigrant Visa Program application process.

Following the visa process, Keeping Our Promise, Inc. helps refugees to find apartments, employment, and a vehicle to get to work. Through their Caring Circles program, Keeping Our Promise, Inc. helps to fully integrate refugees into their new lives. https://www.keepingourpromise.org/donate.html

REFUGEES INTERNATIONAL Refugees International has comprehensive programs that focus on a variety of issues refugees and displaced people face in today’s world. They advocate for live saving assistance, human rights, and protection for refugees across the globe. Refugees International does not take any donations from governments or the United Nations to ensure the independence and credibility of their work. https://www.refugeesinternational.org/giving

HEARTS AND HOMES FOR REFUGEES PELHAM, NY Hearts and Homes for Refugees helps provide direct support to refugees by hosting donation drives, offering English tutoring, and providing resources to help refugees find employment. Hearts and Homes for Refugees creates community sponsorships that connect refugees with volunteers and resettlement agencies to provide additional support and ease their transition into the United States. https://www.heartsandhomesforrefugees.org/get-involved

UNHCR The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees helps refugees with their programs for emergency relief, cash assistance, education, and resources to become self- sufficient. The UNHCR helps resettled refugees by providing free legal services, amplifying their voices, and providing support for non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting refugees. https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/get-involved.html

ISLAMIC RELIEF USA Islamic Relief USA works in 11 countries around the world and has 25 different projects including the provision of food and support to refugees new to the United States, the establishment of educational and livelihood projects for refugees who have been displaced, and emergency aid to families forced to flee during times of violence. https://secure.irusa.org/donate/give-gift

LUTHERAN IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEE SERVICE Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service offers refugee resettlement across the United States. LIRS works with resettlement agencies to determine the best city for each individual case and helps refugees from the airport until they are completely selfsufficient. They offer cultural orientation and provide financial, educational, and community resources. https://www.lirs.org/take-action/

PROTECT AFGHAN WOMEN The Protect Afghan Women Campaign is a project of the Georgian Institute for Women, Peace, and security. They are currently asking for donations to help the evacuation of at-risk women activists, journalists, politicians, peacebuilders, and their families from Afghanistan and provide support so that they can be resettled with dignity. https://www.vitalvoices.org/2021/08/vital-voices-statement-on-the-women-ofafghanistan/

HIAS HIAS works to provide protection, resettlement, and advocacy services for refugees around the world. They use legal protection and psychosocial care to help refugees find safety, freedom, and stability and build livelihoods. HIAS is the oldest resettlement organization in the world and they partner with local refugee assistance organizations across the U.S. to help refugees get acclimated. https://www.hias.org/get-involved/ways-to-give

NO ONE LEFT BEHIND No One Left Behind is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that America keeps its promise to our interpreters from Iraq and Afghanistan. No One Left Behind helps provide crucial information on the process of applying for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), tools to learn about resettlement in the U.S., and connections to nine different agencies that assist in doing so. https://web.charityengine.net/Default.aspx?tsid=17640

MEET SCOTT GOODSTEIN CATALYST CAMPAIGNS

CEO Catalyst Campaigns is a boutique agency that advises clients on ways to effectively make positive changes in the world. The team focuses on managing critical campaign resources (time, people, and money) while building authentic messaging and winning strategies.