Operation Allies Welcome-Find out how you can get involved!
Afghan families began arriving in Jacksonville earlier this month. Last week, the first arrivals were moved from local Airbnb housing to apartments furnished with community donations through Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement. By the end of 2022, Catholic Charities (CC) expects to resettle 50 families to include approximately 200 people, many of whom helped U.S. forces during its 20-year involvement in the country’s war.
The Resettlement Process
Resettlement agencies provide an umbrella of services and expertise, as funded by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services/Office of Refugee Resettlement. Agency funding, however, is limited and requires careful budgeting. Additionally, they must raise 20% of the funding themselves. Consequently, agencies rely heavily on community contributions and volunteers.
As described in the previous e-Eagle article on our refugee ministry, the 90-day Reception and Placement program for arriving refugees offers an array of survival services for this limited time period. Then the assistance decreases while the expectation towards self-sufficiency increases. Typically, resettlement agencies assist refugees who have waited years for refugee visas in camps overseas. The Afghan crisis, however, created extraordinary circumstances. On August 29th, the Department of Homeland Security began the program Operation Allies Welcome. It set in motion a means by which Afghan refugees could arrive in larger numbers and resettle across the U.S. at a rapid pace not seen since the evacuation of Vietnam. Vetting processes continue to take place at U.S. military bases in countries overseas or in both Pennsylvania and Washington DC before refugees arrive in local communities.
SJC Response to Afghan Crisis
In response to the Afghan crisis, our SJC Refugee Committee met to discuss how our congregation might help. Prior to the meeting, information was gathered from local agencies that assist refugees. Catholic Charities has detailed procedures and support in place to assist individual donors as well as civic groups and churches. These procedures enable donors to offer a variety of donations and/or volunteer opportunities. This includes pick up and storage of furniture.
Operation SJC Apartment
(1) Form a partnership with Catholic Charities and follow their lead.
(2) Seek the participation and donations of SJC parishioners to fully equip an apartment for one Afghan family of four (apartment to be provided by CC). Projected completion: 30 to 45 days
(3) Seek participation of initial volunteers relative to equipping and setting up the apartment.
(4) Explore volunteer opportunities to interact individually with assistance after the Operation SJC
(5) Apartment project is complete.
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