Overview

The U.S. government responded to this past year’s crises by welcoming 76,000 people forced to flee Afghanistan—the largest evacuation of its kind since the Vietnam War—and committing to accepting 100,000 refugees from Ukraine, as well as raising the refugee resettlement ceiling to 125,000 for fiscal year 2022.

As a way of tackling the ongoing displacement crisis and issues faced by these clients, the IRC is focusing on community engagement to help with the integration of resettled refugees into our local communities, through a new Community Sponsorship model called the HOME (Housing, Orientation, Mentoring, Education) program.

What is Community Sponsorship?

Community Sponsorship is a shared endeavor. Small groups—HOME Teams—within the community work together to prepare for and welcome a refugee family to their local area. This model relies on harnessing the power of a private/public partnership between community volunteers and our agency to ensure the independence and self-sufficiency of our new neighbors.

HOME Teams will play a key role in helping refugees resettle into their new community. Community sponsors advance the role of communities in the protection, resettlement, and integration of refugees and other vulnerable populations. As a HOME Team, local community members commit to providing, in a non-legally binding agreement, clearly defined financial and in-kind contributions and the majority of core services to support a refugee’s welcome and integration in partnership with the IRC. 

Benefits of Community Sponsorship 

Not only does forming a HOME Team offer you a chance to bring positive change to your community, but you are also becoming a part of a larger global community that is helping to bring awareness to the plight of people seeking refuge. 

True integration is not something that can be taught or learned from books, it requires personal interaction and building relationships with people in the community. The HOME program helps to create these personal connections.

With Community Sponsors, refugees receive far more support and for longer periods of time, and as a result, the quality of life for refugee families is immeasurably enhanced.

Help Refugees:

How Do I Start or Join a HOME Team in Atlanta?

Requirements:

  1. Be located within 100 miles of the IRC in Atlanta.
  2. Raise $5,000 to support the family you will be working with. A small portion will go to the administrative cost of providing support to the HOME Teams and families served.
  3. Have a group of 6 - 10 dedicated volunteers. ***If you are interested in forming a HOME Team but do not have a team of 6 or more, please fill out the interest form and IRC staff can help you form a team.
  4. Provide in-kind donations for household and personal needs.
  5. Commit to six months of on-going education, mentorship and client support.
  6. All volunteers must submit a background check and proof of COVID-19 vaccinations.
  7. Partake in regular check-in sessions with IRC staff.
  8. Core group representatives sign a non-legally binding Co-Sponsorship agreement with IRC.

Next Steps:

Contact

For more information about HOME Team opportunities with the IRC in Atlanta, please contact Community Sponsorship Coordinator, Iman Abdur-Rahman, at [email protected]