Here's how you can help Afghan refugees headed to Sacramento

“The situation in Afghanistan is absolutely heartbreaking. Afghan refugees already here and arriving in the weeks ahead need our support more than ever. Sacramento is a leading city not only in the United States but also globally in refugee resettlement. Unique to Sacramento is the large percentage of Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders, who proudly served alongside US forces in Afghanistan. We owe it to them to do everything we can to get them and their families here safely. Our office will continue to work tirelessly with the five resettlement agencies and various partners to advocate for them and ensure we can provide the support they’ll need when they arrive in Sacramento.”

— Mayor Darrell Steinberg

Three refugee agencies working with new arrivals from Afghanistan offer these tips on how you can help.

World Relief Sacramento ( Vanassa Hamra)

• Where to donate: https://give.worldrelief.org/site/Donation2?df_id=2024&2024.donation=form1&mfc_pref=T

  Monthly and individual gifts allow us to provide more services to newly arrived families. Our programs support a refugee and immigrant’s journey every step of the way: from arrival, to job assistance, to English language learning to after school tutoring and mentoring.

• How to volunteer: https://worldrelief.org/sacramento/get-involved/volunteer/

  This lists our different opportunities, and in the past two weeks volunteers have stepped up in big ways. In the past two weeks, 30+ volunteers have helped us set up apartments for 10 families, as well as, welcome families at the airport. Things are shifting on a daily basis, so we have been grateful for volunteers able to quickly mobilize. In addition to volunteers who help with arrival, we are in high need of volunteers to come alongside refugee youth and families in tutoring and mentorship capacity. The Afghan community here in Sacramento is in distress, and we are actively looking for more ways to provide both vital services as well as emotional and communal support.

• Advocate: https://worldrelief.org/sacramento/get-involved/advocate/

  We have seen the incredible power of advocacy this past year, beginning with resettlement agency petitions for the current administration to keep its promise in raising the refugee (admission) ceiling. Now, we are calling on US and global leaders to protect vulnerable Afghans. We will continue to update other ways you can advocate and stand with the Afghan community.

• Stay Connected: https://worldrelief.org/sacramento/

  Sign up for our email communications and follow us on social media (IG & FB: WorldReliefSacramento). Especially now, we are sharing upcoming needs and ways to support, as well as, news and resources.

• World Relief Sacramento Numbers: Since 2016, we have resettled 2,327 Afghan SIVs. Across the 5 Sacramento agencies, we estimate over 5,000 Afghans have been resettled in Sacramento. In the past two weeks, we have received more than 10 families/more than 50 individuals, and we hope more will come. Flight and arrival status are changing constantly. Things are changing on a daily basis, but we hope Afghans who had flights will be able to come. Like many orgs, we are waiting to hear what the current administration will do to ensure more Afghans are able to evacuate safely.   

• Looking ahead: We are heart-broken and grieving with the Afghan community. We will do all we can to advocate for more families to be able to safely resettle in welcoming cities like Sacramento. We also know there is a huge community here in distress, many of whom have family in Afghanistan. This weekend, our Education team celebrated the first of four graduations from our refugee women’s programs. Our team debated: do we even hold the graduation given everything going on? However, we decided to move forward to celebrate the group of Afghan women who had completed our pre-literacy course. They brought their families to celebrate, and it became a space to share grief and concern, but also many families expressed how grateful they were to be able to gather and that their children had a space to play and not hear the news that is on every TV/phone/radio. We are actively looking for community partners to help us facilitate safe, supportive spaces and activities for the community here. Though less tangible, we recognize the collective trauma and grief that this community is experiencing.

• World Relief’s press release: https://worldrelief.org/pr-world-relief-urges-international-community-to-assist-and-protect-vulnerable-afghans/

 International Rescue Committee (IRC)

• Fundraiser to support housing for Afghan SIV evacuees across NorCal: https://help.rescue.org/donate/Softlandingfund

• Amazon Wish List to support incoming Afghan evacuees: https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/26ALEVI2E89VU/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1

• Advocacy: Email the White House asking President Biden to swiftly protect at-rick Afghans: https://act.rescue.org/yRqHe9p

• Share information. Follow and share our FB posts to help raise awareness and support within our communities.

• Learn more: How Afghan allies seek safety in the U.S.(https://www.rescue.org/article/my-life-was-danger-how-afghan-allies-seek-safety-us)

Opening Doors Sacramento

The best resource for people wanting to help is through their website. There, people can get informed, apply to volunteer, sign up for an orientation, and learn about how to put together welcome kits for refugee families.

• How to volunteer:  https://www.openingdoorsinc.org/volunteer

• Where to donate: https://www.openingdoorsinc.org/donate

Mayor Steinberg supporting players in Sacramento’s World Refugee Day Soccer Tournament hosted by World Relief Sacramento and Sac Republic FC.