Welcome.US explained

Welcome.US
Formation:September 2021
Headquarters:USA
Leader Title:CEO
Leader Name:Nazanin Ash
Leader Title2:Co-chairs
Leader Name2:John Bridgeland and Cecilia Muñoz

Welcome.USis a nonprofit organization that coordinates the support of Afghan refugees in US.[1] [2] [3]

The organization was formed in 2021 as the US evacuated 100,000 refugees from Afghanistan following the transfer of power to the Taliban.

The organization coordinates government, private sector and non-government organizations providing financial, material and advisory support to Afghan refugees.

The organization is led by Nazanin Ash supervised by a board of directors that is supported by three former US presidents and three former US first ladies.

Formation and leadership

Welcome.US launched in September 2021[4] led by CEO Nazanin Ash.

The board of directors is co-chaired by John Bridgeland and Cecilia Muñoz[5] with support from Laura Bush, George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Khaled Hosseini, and Stanley McCrystal.[6] [7]

Background

By 22 December 2021, over 70,000 of the 100,000 Afghans that US had evacuated from Afghanistan had arrived in US.[8] They originally were all temporarily housed at eight US military bases and as of 22 December 2021, just over 40,000 had left the military bases and moved into housing in various communities.[8]

Activities

Welcome.US coordinates refugee support efforts between all levels of US government, not for profit organizations, and private sector organizations. The government financial support includes $2,275 per person for rent, food, and clothing, plus food stamps and rent relief.[8] Non-financial support includes help with finding housing, learning how to navigate transit systems, enrolling children in school, completing immigration paperwork, legal support, and access to mental health services.[8]

Government support is supplemented by companies including Starbucks, CVS Pharmacy, Microsoft, AirBnB, and Serta Simmons Bedding who have donated tea, diapers, and mattresses as well as financial support, temporary housing and job opportunities.[9] [10] Welcome.US uses Needslist software to connect the refugees to these services provided by resettlement support groups and corporations.

Welcome.US also provides emergency funding to not-for-profits organizations and runs media campaigns to encourage US citizens to support refugees.

In October 2021, Welcome.US collaborated with Miles4Migrants to fund 40,000 flights for Afghan refugees.[11] [12] [13] 3,200 of the flights have been used so far.[14]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Donati. Jessica. 2021-12-17. Starbucks, Airbnb Help to Resettle Afghan Evacuees Off U.S. Military Bases. en-US. Wall Street Journal. 2021-12-17. 0099-9660. 2021-12-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20211217203609/https://www.wsj.com/articles/starbucks-airbnb-help-to-resettle-afghan-evacuees-off-u-s-military-bases-11639763898. live.
  2. Web site: Markell. Jack. Ash. Nazanin. 2021-12-17. 6 Ways to Welcome Our Afghan Allies. live. 2021-12-18. Mirage News. en-AU. 2023-03-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20230313094159/https://www.miragenews.com/6-ways-to-welcome-our-afghan-allies-697009/.
  3. News: Knutson . Jacob . 16 Sep 2021 . State Department partners with aid group welcoming Afghan refugees to U.S. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223132348/https://www.axios.com/state-department-afghan-refugee-aid-group-92388b5c-540a-4fa6-842c-9b37ba621f3f.html . 23 December 2021 . 23 December 2021 . Axios.
  4. Web site: Morin. Rebecca. Obamas, Bushes, Clintons help launch organization to assist Afghan refugees. 2021-12-20. USA TODAY. en-US. 2023-03-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20230313094158/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/09/14/ex-obama-bush-officials-launch-welcome-us-help-afghan-refugees/8309125002/. live.
  5. Web site: Cai . Sophia . 2021-09-14 . Starbucks, Microsoft, Walmart back U.S. Afghan relief effort . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223132349/https://www.seattletimes.com/business/starbucks-microsoft-walmart-back-u-s-afghan-relief-effort/ . 2021-12-23 . 2021-12-23 . The Seattle Times . en-US.
  6. Web site: Bush, Clinton, Obama back support for refugees from Afghanistan. 2021-12-20. www.aljazeera.com. en. 2021-12-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20211220203426/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/14/bush-clinton-obama-back-support-for-refugees-from-afghanistan. live.
  7. Web site: US ex-presidents Bush, Clinton, Obama band together to aid Afghan refugees. 2021-12-20. CNA. en. 2021-12-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20211220203629/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/us-ex-presidents-bush-clinton-obama-band-together-aid-afghan-refugees-2176931. live.
  8. Web site: Nazanin Ash on Afghan Refugee Resettlement Efforts in U.S. C-SPAN.org. 2022-01-19. www.c-span.org. en-us. 2022-01-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20220119183955/https://www.c-span.org/video/?516865-3%2Fwashington-journal-nazanin-ash-discusses-afghan-refugee-resettlement-efforts-us. live.
  9. News: Rosenberg. Mica. Heavey. Susan. 2021-09-14. U.S. Ex-presidents Bush, Clinton, Obama band together to aid Afghan refugees. en. Reuters. 2021-12-21. 2021-12-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20211221171418/https://www.reuters.com/world/us-ex-presidents-bush-clinton-obama-band-together-aid-afghan-refugees-2021-09-14/. live.
  10. Web site: Evers-Hillstrom. Karl. 2021-09-15. Business coalition aims to provide jobs to Afghan refugees. 2021-12-23. TheHill. en. 2021-12-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20211223133004/https://thehill.com/policy/international/572482-business-coalition-aims-to-provide-jobs-to-afghan-refugees. live.
  11. News: 26 Oct 2021. Donated frequent-flyer miles providing flights for Afghan refugees in the U.S.. CBC. 23 December 2021. 23 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211223131901/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/miles-donations-flights-afghan-refugees-1.6226184. live.
  12. Web site: Alvarez . Priscilla . October 26, 2021 . Major US airlines, travel industry leaders donate more than 20,000 flights for Afghan evacuees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223131901/https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/26/politics/afghan-evacuees-airline-flights/index.html . 2021-12-23 . 2021-12-23 . CNN.
  13. Web site: Brest . Mike . October 28, 2021 . Hundreds of thousands donated frequent flyer miles help move Afghan refugees . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211223131901/https://news.yahoo.com/hundreds-thousands-donated-frequent-flyer-181700963.html . 2021-12-23 . 2021-12-23 . news.yahoo.com . en-US.
  14. Web site: Associated Press. 2021-10-27. People are donating frequent-flyer miles to provide flights for Afghan refugees. 2021-12-23. New York Post. en-US. 2021-12-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20211223133321/https://nypost.com/2021/10/27/miles-donations-provide-flights-for-afghan-refugees/. live.

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