Welcome.US is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that coordinates the support of Afghan refugees in US. The organization was formed in 2021 as the US evacuated 100,000 refugees from Afghanistan following the transfer of power to the Taliban. The organization coordinates government, private sector and non-government organizations providing financial, material and advisory support to Afghan refugees. The organization is led by Nazanin Ash supervised by a board of directors that is supported by three former US presidents and three former US

first ladies First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical head of state or chief executive. The term is also used to describe a woman seen to be at the t ...

Formation and leadership

Welcome.US launched in September 2021 led by CEO Nazanin Ash. The board of directors is co-chaired by

John Bridgeland John M. Bridgeland (born May 1, 1960) is a former director of the United States Domestic Policy Council and USA Freedom Corps. He is president and CEO of the public policy firm Civic Enterprises, the co-founder and CEO of the COVID Collaborative a ...

and

Cecilia Muñoz Cecilia Muñoz (born July 27, 1962) is an American political advisor who served as Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama, a position she held for five years. Prior to that, she served as the White House Direct ...

with support from

Laura Bush Laura Lane Welch Bush (''née'' Welch; born November 4, 1946) is an American teacher, librarian, memoirist and author who was First Lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Bush previously served as First Lady of Texas from 1995 to 2000. ...

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017. She was the first African-American woman to serve in this position. She is married t ...

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

Khaled Hosseini Khaled Hosseini (;Pashto/Dari ; born March 4, 1965) is an Afghan Americans, Afghan-American novelist, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR goodwill ambassador, and former physician. His debut novel ''The Kite Runner'' (2003) wa ...

, and Stanley McCrystal.

Background

By 22 December 2021, over 70,000 of the 100,000 Afghans that US had evacuated from Afghanistan had arrived in US. They originally were all temporarily housed at eight US military bases and as of 22 December 2021, just over 40,000 had left the military bases and moved into housing in various communities.

Activities

Welcome.US coordinates refugee support efforts between all levels of US government, not for profit organizations, and private sector organizations. The government financial support includes $2,275 per person for rent, food, and clothing, plus

food stamps In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for low- and no-income people. It is a federal aid program, ad ...

and rent relief. Non-financial support includes help with finding housing, learning how to navigate transit systems, enrolling children in school, completing immigration paperwork, legal support, and access to mental health services. Government support is supplemented by companies including

Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain. As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...

CVS Pharmacy CVS Pharmacy, Inc. is an American retail corporation. A subsidiary of CVS Health, it is headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It was also known as, and originally named, the Consumer Value Store and was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts, in ...

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washing ...

AirBnB Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 b ...

, and Serta Simmons Bedding who have donated tea, diapers, and mattresses as well as financial support, temporary housing and job opportunities. Welcome.US uses Needslist software to connect the refugees to these services provided by resettlement support groups and corporations. Welcome.US also provides emergency funding to not-for-profits organizations and runs media campaigns to encourage US citizens to support refugees. In October 2021, Welcome.US collaborated with ''Miles4Migrants'' to fund 40,000 flights for Afghan refugees. 3,200 of the flights have been used so far.

References

{{reflist

External links

Welcome.US official website
Refugee aid organizations in the United States Organizations established in 2021 Humanitarian aid organizations Charities based in the United States

Formation and leadership

Background

Activities

See also

References

External links