Santa Fe Welcome Corps

Santa Fe Welcome Corps

Welcoming refugees to the Santa Fe, NM community.

In January 2023, the U.S. Department of State launched a new program where private citizens can sponsor refugees to relocate and resettle in the United States. Our group of volunteers have formed the Santa Fe Welcome Corps to join in the mission: To welcome new refugees to the open-armed Santa Fe community and help them get settled in the land of enchantment!

Our mission is to provide a single refugee with the resources, support, and connections they need to thrive in their new environment. The Welcome Corps will match our group with a refugee who has been screened and approved by the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program. We do not yet know who we will be matched with, but we do know that they have been forced to flee from their home country and are seeking safety and stability in a new home. We are excited to share updates regarding the new member of our community and our journey through the Welcome Corps process here!

Our Goal

Our first fundraising goal is $3,000. These funds will go directly towards supporting our friend from another country over the first 3 months of their life here in the U.S. The funds will cover the newcomer’s rent, deposit, utilities, furniture, household goods, and clothing. Since the housing market in Santa Fe is a tricky biscuit, we anticipate this number realistically rising closer to $10,000. We will share updates here.

In parallel, we are working on gathering resources, identifying assistance groups and talking to other key stakeholders in our community for:

Housing

Transportation

Health and Mental Health

Education, Employment and Finances

Cultural Connections

Transition from Sponsorship

Who we are

Over the past few months, we’ve formed a group of community-minded individuals who are excited about welcoming a refugee into the Santa Fe community! We are a group of volunteers and 100% of the funds will go towards refugee resettlement assistance.

Santa Fe Welcome Corps: Ellie Hoffman, Casey Gibson, Patrick Meaders, Kelly Moran, Corey Pritts, and Karthik Ramaswamy

Thank you for supporting a refugee as they resettle into their new home!