Community Sponsorship Hub

📣 On this #WorldRefugeeDay, we're thrilled to announce that CSH's Sponsor Fund is expanding! Thanks to generous support from private donors, the Sponsor Fund is lowering financial barriers for Welcome Corps sponsors applying to be matched with refugees resettling in the U.S. Now through July 31, sponsor groups applying to be matched with a refugee or family they do not know can qualify for a grant to cover 100% of the initial financial requirement. This is part of a shared commitment thanks to private philanthropy efforts to help more groups join this vital humanitarian effort. #WithRefugees https://lnkd.in/dxMbbHv8

Behind the Community Sponsorship Hub is a committed and passionate Advisory Board that helps drive us towards innovating and safeguarding refugee protection and welcome through community sponsorship. We are currently seeking three new advisors to join the incredible leaders Becca Heller, Ed Shapiro, Dr. Diya Abdo, Sloane Davidson, Sarah Gauger and Gregory A. Maniatis. In particular we have special interest in advisors with expertise in advocacy, policy and research. We are deeply committed to centering refugee voices and invite individuals with lived and professional experience to apply. Learn more here and please share with any leaders you feel would be a great fit: https://lnkd.in/g2TF5q3Y

Join us for Community Conversations on May 30! Embrace Pride Month with a conversation highlighting the experiences of LGBTQI+ refugees and the critical role of sponsors in creating an accepting and welcoming resettlement experience through Welcome Corps. Register at https://lnkd.in/eUjHG6be

The Sponsor Circle Program has made a difference in lives of Afghan allies welcomed by communities across the U.S. Join us this Thursday and learn how Welcome Corps makes it possible to help more Afghan refugees reach safety. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dWC_Z2pP

Our hearts are full today! This Arab American Heritage month, Basma Alawee is recognized by USCIS as an "Outstanding American by Choice" for her incredible achievements, leadership, and ongoing commitment to supporting and inspiring new Americans. Today, Basma joined 20 new Americans from 13 countries for their naturalization ceremony in Jacksonville as they complete their journey to citizenship and begin their next chapter. She shared her own journey to citizenship from fleeing death threats in Iraq and her career as an engineer to becoming a global refugee leader here in the United States. Citizenship brings opportunity and responsibility for new Americans to contribute to their communities and embrace American values of freedom, service, and welcome. Basma travels around the country and the world sharing messages of hope and opportunity and real-life programs like the Welcome Corps that change lives for people seeking safety.    "When I come back through passport control it never gets old for me when the officials look at my documents and tell me, "Welcome Home." Welcome home to all new Americans in Jacksonville and around the country!

From Minnesota to Texas, Ohio to Washington, more than 65,000 sponsors have signed up for the Welcome Corps in all 50 states + D.C., latest Niskanen Center blog reveals. “The Welcome Corps provides an opportunity for veterans to sponsor allies and partners they served alongside overseas, for faith communities to welcome those fleeing persecution, and for sponsors of all backgrounds to make a difference in their communities," CSH Executive Director Annie Nolte-Henning on how the Welcome Corps reinforces America’s longstanding tradition as a nation of refugees and provides a beacon of hope for persecuted people around the world.

The Welcome Corps allows Americans, in a group of five or more, to sponsor refugees eligible for private sponsorship and permanent resettlement in the U.S. Learn more about how to sponsor through the Welcome Corps and eligibility requirements for Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan refugees by visiting https://lnkd.in/emuhDhBc

In celebration of Women's History Month, we are hosting extraordinary women from different backgrounds who are leading the way in welcoming refugees through Welcome Corps. Join us as they share their journeys, successes, and the pivotal moments that shaped their work in private sponsorship programs. Register and be part of the conversation @ https://lnkd.in/eUjHG6be

Join us in celebrating a remarkable year of compassion, innovation, and community. We all deserve a safe and welcoming place to call home. The Welcome Corps has redefined what it means to extend a hand of welcome to those seeking refuge in the United States. This groundbreaking initiative through the U.S. Department of State has brought private sponsor groups and American communities together in an extraordinary partnership. We've witnessed the incredible power of matching sponsors and connecting communities with refugees from around the world. And, in December 2023, the program expanded to allow Americans to apply to sponsor refugees they know. In just one year, more than 15,000 sponsors have volunteered to support more than 7,000 refugees as they become our new neighbors in communities across the United States.   The best way to help us mark this incredible milestone is to join us in our mission. Let's continue to uplift the Welcome Corps, a beacon of hope and change, as we work together to create brighter futures for those who seek safety and freedom in the United States. Ready to make a meaningful impact? Learn more at welcomecorps.org, and take the first step toward sponsorship. Together, we can build a more welcoming world. U.S. Department of State, Church World Service, IRIS: Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, International Rescue Committee, Community Sponsorship Hub, WCL IRAP, HIAS, Welcome.US