In light of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, thousands of refugees are fleeing to other countries. According to KOMO News, an estimated 1,700 Afghan refugees are expected to come to Washington. So far, 575 have arrived in Seattle with more to come.
Families are arriving in a new and foreign environment with minimal belongings and without a home or knowledge of English. These families are faced with the challenge of adapting to an unknown culture and way of life, often alone and without the support of a community.
Welcoming refugees is not a new venture for Washington State. During the Vietnam War, Washington opened its borders to waves of refugees from Southeast Asia. Today, the Vietnamese community has been the most notable contributor in stepping forward to help Afghan refugees transition to life in the states.
Both local and international organizations are urging residents to help refugees in any way they can. The first barrier faced by incoming refugees is obtaining affordable housing— which isn’t ideal in the city of Seattle.
Organizations like the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service have appealed to local residents to help, and Seattlelites have opened their homes and Airbnb establishments to support this cause. Airbnb itself has pledged to host 40,000 refugees and continues to increase that number.
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has supported over half a million refugees, and welcomes new volunteers looking to get involved and support incoming refugees find accessible housing.
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is specifically seeking housing that follows the federal resettlement criteria. People who are currently Airbnb hosts can house refugees in their available spaces. New hosts can sign up through Airbnb to house refugees.
Language barriers are another factor that may impede refugees from receiving critical support. Organizations like the Afghan Health Initiative are recruiting volunteers to help translate from Dari, Pashto, and Farsi. Translating is especially important when it comes to easing families into a new setting and supporting them in adjusting to daily tasks.
The Afghan Health Initiative has also played a pivotal role in supplying refugees with necessities such as basic household goods. Volunteers support this effort by creating “kits,” or donating goods directly to the organization. More specifically, the Afghan Health Initiative is looking for essential goods to support infants, children, and expecting mothers.
World Relief Seattle, which has supported over 400,000 refugees, is an example of another organization working to create “welcome kits,” asking for kitchen, bed, and bath essentials.
The Jewish Family Service, which has supported 129 refugees, has compiled an Amazon wish list and holds a virtual food drive.
Cash donations and gift cards to Amazon, Fred Meyer, Target, and Safeway can be mailed directly to World Relief Seattle. The aforementioned organizations also accept donations online.
The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is seeking volunteers for transportation services to deliver meals, airport pickups, and setup houses.
With more families to come, many are still struggling to enter the United States. Washington State and the nation as a whole is hesitating to accept more refugees due to COVID-19 concerns of screening and security vetting.
For those interested in affecting change on the policy level, The Council on American-Islamic Relations has created templates to guide constituents in contacting their state representatives to take action on the Afghan crisis and provide the necessary support.
Access to the U.S. has been accessible for refugees employed by the U.S. government, as they are allowed a Special Immigrant Visa under the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021. However, regardless of employment, Afghan refugees are required to pay a fee of $2,000 per person to cover the cost of the flight and security, according to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Washington. This price can put families in debilitating debt.
Roosevelt students are required to earn at least 60 hours of service in order to graduate. Several of the organizations listed above may be able to support service hour credits.
