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How To Get Involved in Afghan Resettlement Wherever You Are

Sunday, April 17, 2022
<figure><img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1024/0*wclVKMEnWGcEr7FT" /><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@charleingracia?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Charlein Gracia</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&amp;utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p>As The United States continues to welcome new Afghan neighbors, there is still a huge need for resources, volunteers, financial and community support. Starting a new life in a completely new country is not only overwhelming, but also multifaceted. There are many areas of life that need to be addressed which is what organizations and volunteers across the country assist with every day.</p><p>So many people have it in their heart to want to help, but don’t know where to begin. If this sounds like you, you are in luck! We have created a list of ways you can get involved from the comfort of your home or find volunteer opportunities in your area.</p><h4>1. Support organizations through donations of items needed and money.</h4><p><a href="https://www.neighbornetwork.io/">Hello Neighbor Network</a> members are working tirelessly to assist with resettling their new Afghan neighbors. Since the beginning of the year (and before), <a href="https://medium.com/hello-neighbor-network/grassroots-nonprofits-mobilize-for-afghans-befbe70cb541">our members jumped into action</a>. You can find the <a href="https://www.neighbornetwork.io">full list of affiliated nonprofits here</a> to see how they are helping and how you can get involved to support their goals.</p><h4>2. Get involved with local organizations/volunteer experiences.</h4><p>Helping at a local level is a great way to make a difference right in your own community. But we know that finding volunteer opportunities can be tricky! Luckily, organizations such as <a href="https://www.rescue.org/volunteer">The International Rescue Committee</a> and <a href="https://welcome.us/volunteer">Welcome.US</a> have search engines to filter organizations in your region. You can type in your state or area code to see what is around you, along with those organizations’ contact info. You can also check out the <a href="https://www.neighbornetwork.io">interactive map of Hello Neighbor Network nonprofits</a>. It’s amazing what work is being done in your own backyard!</p><h4>3. Educate Yourself!</h4><p>If you don’t have the means to make donations or are not ready or able to volunteer, the best way to be supportive of this mission is to educate yourself on what is happening. This situation is constantly evolving and a great way to have informed conversations in your community is to have background knowledge on the refugee crisis and immigration. The resources above are great educational tools as well as the following articles!</p><p><a href="https://medium.com/hello-neighbor-network/five-talking-points-when-youre-asked-why-refugee-resettlement-matters-5ebbb4c24881">5 Reasons Why Refugee Resettlement Matters</a></p><p><a href="https://www.helloneighbor.io/what-is-resettlement">What is resettlement?</a></p><p><a href="https://www.newneighborspartnership.org/get-involved">What does SIV mean?</a></p><p><a href="https://www.rescue.org/article/afghanistan-crisis-latest-updates-ways-help">Afghanistan crisis: Latest updates, ways to help (IRC)</a></p><p>Please remember to be kind to yourself while learning about these areas — taking the time to educate yourself is an amazing first step. There is always room to continue to learn and be a lifelong ally to our new neighbors.</p><figure><img alt="" src="https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/202/0*SSywcKlvH8hbawQ3.png" /></figure><p>Learn more about the <a href="https://www.neighbornetwork.io/">Hello Neighbor Network</a>. The Hello Neighbor Network accepts applications for Fellows every fall. <a href="http://eepurl.com/hnAmkT">Sign up for our newsletter</a> to be the first to know when applications open.</p><img alt="" height="1" src="https://medium.com/_/stat?event=post.clientViewed&amp;referrerSource=full_rss&amp;postId=33cac5392e3a" width="1" /><hr /><p><a href="https://medium.com/hello-neighbor-network/how-to-get-involved-in-afghan-resettlement-wherever-you-are-33cac5392e3a">How To Get Involved in Afghan Resettlement Wherever You Are</a> was originally published in <a href="https://medium.com/hello-neighbor-network">Hello Neighbor Network</a> on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.</p>