Here’s How to Help Afghan Refugees Arriving in Southern California
By Brooke Staggs
When Irvine resident Nasim Fekrat saw reports about Afghan refugees coming to Southern California, he knew he wanted to help.
He also understood their plight. Fekrat immigrated from Afghanistan in 2009. The 38-year-old is now a PhD student at UC Irvine, studying anthropology with a focus on Afghan immigrants’ experience and how the war has impacted them.
“I feel how hard it is to leave your home and arrive at a completely strange place,” Fekrat said. Plus, he added, “We all need help in one way or another. As the old adage goes, what goes around comes around.”
News coverage of Afghans fleeing their country as US forces withdrew and the Taliban took over has prompted residents across Southern California to reach out to local political leaders, media outlets and nonprofits, asking how they can help.
Not everyone has the personal connection, or the language and cultural skills, that Fekrat brings to the table. But organizations working to resettle Afghan evacuees in local communities say there’s something everyone can do.
“We are looking for community support to make these families welcome,” said Stanford Prescott, a spokesman with the local branch of the International Rescue Committee, which is helping Afghans establish new lives in Los Angeles and San Diego.
One challenge is that some of the Afghans who escaped in the chaos before Tuesday’s deadline for US forces to withdraw, and many who are still finding ways out, were not able to get officially designated as “refugees,” noted Masih Fouladi, spokesman with CAIR-LA, a Muslim civil rights group in need of support as it’s still trying to help 140 people flee Afghanistan.
While the term is used generically, only official refugees are guaranteed certain services. Designated resettlement agencies pick refugees up from the airport, arrange housing, help them apply for Social Security cards, and enroll their kids in school. Federal funding helps cover many of those costs for several weeks after refugees arrive, though groups resettling refugees — including Anaheim-based Access California Services — still need financial and volunteer support to assist the large wave of families now coming.
But there are strict requirements to get official refugee immigration status, Fouladi noted, and the process can take months or even years. So many of the Afghans arriving now are coming under “humanitarian parole” status, which is used for emergency immigration cases. That status doesn’t come with the same financial benefits and support system that’s in place for official refugees.
Quickly finding affordable housing is the biggest challenge, given the high cost of living in Southern California. But organizations say new arrivals also need help in everything from furnishing their homes to finding translators who speak Dari or Pashto to getting jobs.
That’s where local nonprofits — and the community members who support them — come into play.
Here’s a roundup of local organizations directly assisting Afghan families as they arrive in Southern California. All are in need of financial support, but they also offer other ways residents can support their efforts.
Sahaba Initiative
This San Bernardino-based nonprofit regularly supports low-income families through a weekly food pantry and other outreach efforts. Now, founding president Arbazz Mohammed said they’re preparing to sponsor four or five Afghan families expected to arrive in the next few weeks, at cost of roughly $25,000 per family.
One particular need, Mohammed said, is to find cars for these families. They’re also looking for affordable apartments to rent in the Inland Empire. And donations to their Saturday food pantry are always welcome, since those items will also be used to support Afghan families. Get more information at sahabainitiative.org or by sending an email to volunteer@sahabainitiative.org.
International Institute of Los Angeles
This organization has been helping immigrants integrate into their new lives in Los Angeles for more than 100 years. They resettled 47 families in August and expect to help 350 Afghan evacuees in the next year.
The institute is looking for families willing to provide temporary housing for newly arriving Afghans — particularly those with families of five or more people — as well as landlords who can help with long-term housing.
They’re also creating a bank of volunteers willing to pick evacuees up from the airport, help set up new homes and provide transportation as families get settled. There’s a particular need for Dari or Pashto speakers to help with translation, and for employers who have job opportunities for refugees. Volunteers can sign up by clicking the “Act Now for Afghan Allies” button at iilosangeles.org or call 323-224-3800.
World Relief Southern California
This Garden Grove-based nonprofit is the local arm of a Christian humanitarian organization that helps people facing urgent needs around the world in the wake of events such as natural disasters and mass displacement due to conflict — including the 20-year war in Afghanistan.
If area residents are interested in “walking alongside” Afghan families, helping to sponsor them as they arrive, spokesman Jose Serrano said they can contact World Relief Southern California at 714-210-4730 or at jserrano@wr.org.
Residents also can create welcome kits for families, with new toiletry items, cleaning supplies, household items, school supplies and more, then drop those kits off at the Garden Grove office. Find more information and donate at worldrelief.org/socal.
Tiyya Foundation
This nonprofit, with offices in Santa Ana and Los Angeles, has been assisting Afghan refugee families since 2010. But with a new wave of families coming, founder Meymuna Hussein-Cattan said housing is a top priority.
“Anyone who has an extra room, backhouse, mother-in-law suite, etc. that can open their doors, is greatly appreciated,” she said.
Residents who have existing Airbnb properties can register to offer them as temporary shelters for Afghan refugees, with fees for 20,000 properties covered by donations to Airbnb’s nonprofit arm. Learn more and sign up at airbnb.org/get-involved.
The foundation also is accepting gift cards to stores that Afghan families can use to buy supplies such as hygiene items and diapers. Learn more at tiyya.org. or 714-547-5050.
International Rescue Committee
The Glendale-based office of this international group also is encouraging Airbnb hosts to sign up for the Open Homes Program to help provide temporary shelter for Afghan families. For long-term housing, LA-area landlords willing to rent to recently arrived refugees can contact Carly.Boos@Rescue.org.
The IRC has established Amazon and Target wish-lists for local arrivals, where people can buy items online and have them sent to their office for distribution as needed. They’re also recruiting volunteers for a variety of services. More information and sign-ups are at rescue.org/announcement/how-help-our-afghan-neighbors-los-angeles.
Voice of Refugees
This Anaheim-based group partners with churches, companies and volunteers to help refugees build new lives in Southern California. On Thursday, Sept. 2, executive director Joe Guidotti said they helped 75 refugee families get free groceries, clothing and household items. More volunteers, he said, are always needed.
Voice of Refugees accepts donations of gently used clothing and furniture for future giveaway events. They also have a registry through Walmart, where people can buy items such as bedding and microwaves that will be used to furnish homes for arriving Afghan families. To get involved, visit vorservices.org or call 714-277-6843.
Here are more local organizations assisting Afghan families:
–Afghan Literacy Foundation in Redondo Beach
–Newcomers Access Center in Pomona
–Catholic Charities of Orange County in Santa Ana
–Miry’s List in Los Angeles
• (Journalism has led Brooke Staggs to a manhunt in Las Vegas, a zero gravity flight over Queens and a fishing village in Ghana. The Big Bear native is addicted to education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from California Baptist University, then got her master's in education as she taught high school English in the Inland Empire. After four years in the classroom, she left in 2006 to be a student again herself, earning a master’s degree in journalism from New York University while interning and freelancing for a variety of publications. She sees journalism as another form of teaching, helping readers make informed decisions and better understand the world around them. Brooke spent five years as a staff writer then city editor at the Daily Press in Victorville. She joined the Orange County Register in January 2013, covering several Orange County communities before taking on the cannabis beat in February 2016 and the politics beat in April 2019. On occasion, she also teaches community college and ghostwrites nonfiction books. If she doesn’t get right back to you, there’s a good chance she’s sitting with her husband on a plane or train or boat destined for somewhere – anywhere – they’ve never been.) – Courtesy The Orange County Register
