Welcoming Refugees

Welcoming America creates resources for local organizations and communities that are working to foster greater community support and understanding for refugees.

The webinars and toolkits below represent a wide range of topics, including: community sponsorship, refugee leadership, communication and resettlement strategies, and housing.

Additionally, Welcoming America is thrilled to participate in the Welcoming Refugees project as part of Students Rebuild, a program that invites students to learn about the world and empathize with others through art. Learn more

Students Rebuild

We are proud to have partnered with Students Rebuild on the 2023: Welcoming Refugees Project.

We joined Students Rebuild in inviting students from around the world to join us on an adventure of learning, empathy and art. Kids channeled their creativity to welcome people displaced by war and other crises by creating postcards sent to young refugees around the world. The Bezos Family Foundation donated $5 to refugee-aid organizations, including Welcoming America, for every postcard created. The Challenge is now closed.

Resources

WEBINAR
Community Sponsorship of Refugees: Methods and Examples

Community sponsorship provides an avenue for individuals, groups, and organizations to participate in the resettlement of refugees. This webinar will explore the various community sponsorship models and provide resources for communities wanting to take part in supporting refugee families.

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TOOLKIT
Tips to Build and Sustain a Locally Welcoming Infrastructure

Welcoming America and a cadre of partners created this guide for municipal leaders looking to welcome Afghans and create sustainable infrastructure to support their wellbeing. It offers four key tips to create an equitable and welcoming environment.

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WEBINAR
Resettlement Strategies: Learning from National Example and Local Actors

Presented by Welcoming America and Boston University, this two-part webinar provides a broad understanding of how the resettlement system works in the United States, how it differs from other systems, and what challenges it has undergone over the past three years.

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TOOLKIT
Reframing Refugees: Messaging Toolkit

Developed in partnership with the Lightbox Collective, this toolkit is intended as a communications resource for individuals working in organizations that serve refugees and the broader community. It provides tips and recommendations on ways to deliver strong messages that encourage leaders to act in support of refugees in their communities.

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WEBINAR
Engaging Public Sector Stakeholders to Prepare for Welcoming More Refugees

As refugee service providers prepare for an increase in arrivals, it is important to reactivate public-sector relationships and explore concrete partnerships that can help meet your local goals. This webinar gives you key strategies on this timely topic, whether you are looking to engage public schools, public health departments, or other public actors. Presented by Switchboard.

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TOOLKIT
Stand Together: Messaging About Muslims and Refugees in Challenging Time

This guide was created for advocates, service providers, and inclusion practitioners as a tool to address backlash toward refugees and Muslim Americans, and to help you proactively engage with community leaders and neighbors.

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WEBINAR
New Homes for New Refugees: A Template for Creating a Welcoming Landlord Network in Your Community

This webinar brought together key organizers of the City of Pittsburgh’s “Renting to Refugees” initiative to discuss how they executed the effort and how similar organizations can potentially implement a similar strategy in your own community.

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TOOLKIT
Welcoming Refugees in Rural Communities: Promising Examples from the Field

While there are many positive examples across the country of refugee welcome in rural communities, this tool explores four groundbreaking community-based initiatives that are engaging, supporting, and welcoming refugees in rural areas. In this toolkit, we highlight how different types of community actors are working together to create more vibrant communities for all.

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Interested in more resources? Visit our resource library.