Heartland Alliance Refugee Resettlement

As many of you might know, I was 6 when my family escaped Afghanistan at the time of the Russian invasion in 1984.

We basically came here with nothing but got lucky to find a host family and their incredible support network who got us up and running and the rest is a miracle as to how I am even here sending you this email.

Fast forward to today and it feels like the movie is playing out again.

The world has watched grave humanitarian crises unfold over the past month as the Taliban regime

took hold in Afghanistan. Afghan women, girls, LGBTQIA+ people, people with disabilities, and

members of religious and minority groups are now in significant danger, as are human rights

defenders, journalists, and people who have worked with the U.S. government over the past 20 years.

Once here, all evacuees will need support finding safe and stable housing, securing basic necessities, healing from physical or psychological injuries, and adjusting to American culture. They will need support learning about and navigating entirely new systems related to banking, education, employment, and transportation. All will need employment supports, and some may need support learning fundamental skills like reading and writing. Many, if not all, will need specialized legal services, as well as medical care and mental health supports. Additionally, all evacuees will be arriving during a pandemic, which presents myriad other challenges.

We are estimating a financial need of more than $1.5m (approximately $7,500 per evacuee) to extend the comprehensive support to approximately 200 evacuees potentially arriving through March 2022, although we recognize that evacuees will likely require additional support beyond this period.

A description of what your donations will go to support:

Initial Resettlement: Staff are deployed to welcome evacuees at the airport and support them in beginning to rebuild their lives in a new country. Through case management, housing location, systems navigation, transportation, clothing, toiletries, toys, etc are provided.

Housing Stability: Without stable housing, it becomes virtually impossible to find a job, achieve long-term goals, and stay healthy. That is why Heartland Alliance helps evacuees find

housing that meets their needs and provides support with deposit and rent, to the extent possible.

Health, Wellness, & Family Supports: Many new arrivals struggle with mental and physical

health issues due to trauma and violence seen or experienced in their home country, as well

as the trauma linked to rapid resettlement in a new country. Our Family Program, for example, offers peer psychosocial support groups led by qualified clinicians; our Child Trauma Program offers assessment, individual and group therapy, advocacy, and social support; and our twice weekly clinics create connections to healthcare professionals in a safe, healing-center environment. Moreover, we offer liaison and advocacy support to help parents navigate school systems, family literacy, and youth after-school and summer programming.

Economic Stability & Opportunity. Our continuum of services is designed to promote long-term economic stability and opportunity,

through multi-level English language courses, one-on-one and group tutoring, sector-specific

vocational training with job readiness training, employment placement, and ongoing retention

support and counseling.

I greatly appreciate your consideration of this request, as well as your understanding of the complexities of the current situation.

Ali