Op-Ed’s & Press Releases
Time is running out for many Ukrainians living in limbo in the U.S.
by Michael Kovbanyuk //
“In June, Russia launched its missiles at Ukraine in two separate pre-dawn attacks leaving 23 dead and many more injured. While the war in Ukraine may be fading in the minds of Americans, these recent attacks serve as a painful reminder that countless Ukrainians still live in fear for their lives every day.
Since the war began in 2022, more than 118,000 Ukrainians have found safe refuge in the United States under Uniting for Ukraine. This program, established by the U.S. government last year, grants Ukrainians seeking refuge temporary parole status in the U.S. for two years. However, it leaves vulnerable people in need of refuge in limbo while they wait to learn their fate regarding permanent residency. …” Read the full piece at the Greensboro News & Record
World Relief Expands and Rebrands Texas Locations in Response to Growing Displacement Crisis
July 18, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
DALLAS, TX — World Relief announced this week a rebrand for its office locations in Fort Worth and Dallas to World Relief Texas. With an expansion to Dallas County earlier this year and the addition of an Austin location next month, the faith-based refugee resettlement and immigrant services agency updated its name to better reflect its regional impact.
“We have been diligently working towards this milestone,” said Aerlande Wontamo, Senior Vice President of U.S. Programs at World Relief. “This development opens up exciting possibilities for serving the community and making a lasting difference in the region.”
World Relief has worked in Texas since 1980 in response to the needs of refugees fleeing wars in Southeast Asia. World Relief Texas is part of a national network of offices through which over 400,000 refugees and other immigrants have been welcomed into the community through church centered, holistic and sustainable solutions.
“Creating a deep-rooted sense of belonging for every person lies at the very heart of our mission,” said World Relief Texas Regional Director Garrett Pearson. “We see the immense crisis in mass displacement that grips our world, and communities across the state of Texas have enthusiastically stepped forward to embrace these families within their own communities. Particularly in Austin, churches have fervently prayed for an opportunity to extend a warm welcome, reignite hope, and rebuild futures alongside World Relief for the countless women, men, and children seeking stability.”
To learn more about World Relief Texas, as well its new branding efforts and logo, please visit worldrelief.org/texas.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
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About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org
World Relief Praises the Re-Introduction of the Bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act and Urges Swift Passage
July 14, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE, MD — Today, World Relief praises the bipartisan re-introduction of an Afghan Adjustment Act in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and urges swift Congressional passage of the bill.
This important bill acknowledges the plight of Afghan nationals who faced an urgent threat of persecution under the Taliban, including many who have worked tirelessly alongside the United States military, diplomatic missions, and non-governmental organizations, risking their lives to support the cause of peace and stability. These individuals have been our allies and partners in promoting shared values such as freedom, justice, and human dignity. We are grateful that they have found refuge in the United States – but they still have only temporary legal protections in the U.S. that bear expiration dates.
“In the nearly two years that have passed since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, World Relief has partnered with churches and communities to serve more than 6,000 Afghans who fled persecution,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Americans of all backgrounds have eagerly welcomed Afghan neighbors. The Afghan Adjustment Act is an opportunity for Congress to convey the American public’s commitment to Afghan parolees by allowing them to apply for permanent legal status, relieving them of the fear and stress associated with living in legal limbo.”
Over 70,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in the weeks following the fall of Kabul nearly two years ago. The need to support their full integration continues, as many Afghans remain in legal limbo, with their parole and work authorization bearing expiration dates. The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans with parole to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status without needing to rely upon woefully backlogged legal processes for asylum or Special Immigrant Visas. The bill also appropriately subjects Afghans to additional vetting and screening before they would be granted permanent legal status.
“We are grateful for the strong bipartisan leadership in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, demonstrating that Congress works together on common sense policy solutions,” said Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Advocacy & Policy for World Relief. “We urge Congress to act immediately to pass it into law, heeding the voices of Afghan allies and of the many people who have helped to welcome new Afghan neighbors, including thousands of local churches that have stepped up to build communities of love and welcome to receive them.”
World Relief invites all who care about the wellbeing of Afghans to urge their Members of Congress to support the Afghan Adjustment Act. An online tool to do so is available at https://worldrelief.org/advocate/support-the-afghan-adjustment-act/.
To download a PDF version of this release, click here.
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About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Praises the Re-Introduction of the Bipartisan Afghan Adjustment Act and Urges Swift Passage
July 14, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE, MD — Today, World Relief praises the bipartisan re-introduction of an Afghan Adjustment Act in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives and urges swift Congressional passage of the bill.
This important bill acknowledges the plight of Afghan nationals who faced an urgent threat of persecution under the Taliban, including many who have worked tirelessly alongside the United States military, diplomatic missions, and non-governmental organizations, risking their lives to support the cause of peace and stability. These individuals have been our allies and partners in promoting shared values such as freedom, justice, and human dignity. We are grateful that they have found refuge in the United States – but they still have only temporary legal protections in the U.S. that bear expiration dates.
“In the nearly two years that have passed since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, World Relief has partnered with churches and communities to serve more than 6,000 Afghans who fled persecution,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Americans of all backgrounds have eagerly welcomed Afghan neighbors. The Afghan Adjustment Act is an opportunity for Congress to convey the American public’s commitment to Afghan parolees by allowing them to apply for permanent legal status, relieving them of the fear and stress associated with living in legal limbo.”
Over 70,000 Afghans were evacuated to the U.S. in the weeks following the fall of Kabul nearly two years ago. The need to support their full integration continues, as many Afghans remain in legal limbo, with their parole and work authorization bearing expiration dates. The Afghan Adjustment Act would allow Afghans with parole to apply for Lawful Permanent Resident status without needing to rely upon woefully backlogged legal processes for asylum or Special Immigrant Visas. The bill also appropriately subjects Afghans to additional vetting and screening before they would be granted permanent legal status.
“We are grateful for the strong bipartisan leadership in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, demonstrating that Congress works together on common sense policy solutions,” said Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Advocacy & Policy for World Relief. “We urge Congress to act immediately to pass it into law, heeding the voices of Afghan allies and of the many people who have helped to welcome new Afghan neighbors, including thousands of local churches that have stepped up to build communities of love and welcome to receive them.”
World Relief invites all who care about the wellbeing of Afghans to urge their Members of Congress to support the Afghan Adjustment Act. An online tool to do so is available at https://worldrelief.org/advocate/support-the-afghan-adjustment-act/.
To download a PDF version of this release, click here.
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About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief to Expand Reach of Refugee Resettlement Services as a Welcome Corps Private Sponsorship Organization
June 13, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE, MD — Today, the Welcome Corps program announced World Relief’s designation as a Private Sponsorship Organization to assist with nationwide refugee resettlement efforts. The Welcome Corps program was first launched in January 2023, allowing everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees and assist them in the process of resettling in the United States. As a Private Sponsorship Organization, World Relief will expand the reach of their resettlement services through new private sponsorship groups around the country that are able to welcome refugees and provide them with support and resources they need to rebuild their lives in the United States.
“We are thrilled to join the Welcome Corps as a private sponsor organization. While World Relief has always worked closely with local churches in welcoming refugees, our reach has been limited by the geographic scope of our local offices,” said Aerlande Wontamo, senior vice president of U.S. Programs at World Relief. “However, through Welcome Corps, we now have the opportunity to expand our reach and partner with churches and communities that have long expressed their desire to welcome refugees. This partnership enables us to respond to the current era of unprecedented displacement, enhance our capacity to welcome more refugees, and equip communities eager to extend welcome to their new neighbors.”
The Welcome Corps program comes at a time of broad support for refugee resettlement among Americans overall, but especially among evangelical Christians who are eager to participate in the call to serve the vulnerable. The Welcome Corps private sponsorship program will allow World Relief to partner with additional church-based Good Neighbor Teams to carry out core private sponsorship services, including providing refugees with assistance in securing employment, safe housing, and education opportunities for children, along with cultural orientation services that empower individuals to make community connections.
“For almost 80 years, World Relief has been responding to the global refugee crisis. Founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe, our work has touched the lives of millions of people in over 100 countries, many of whom have now found refuge and a safe place to call home here in the U.S. At a time of unprecedented displacement, innovative programs like the Welcome Corps are needed to expand U.S. resettlement to the persecuted abroad,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “For years, many faith communities have desired to welcome refugees, but found themselves outside the current U.S. resettlement areas. As a private sponsor organization, we will use our
decades of expertise in equipping churches and communities to catalyze a greater movement of Americans ready to welcome refugees as their neighbors.”
To learn more about World Relief’s involvement with the Welcome Corps program and how to get involved, please visit https://worldrelief.org/private-sponsorship/.
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About Welcome Corps
The Welcome Corps was launched by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and is being implemented by a consortium of six organizations with expertise in refugee resettlement, protection, and welcome. Led by the Community Sponsorship Hub, the consortium includes Church World Service/Refugee Welcome Collective, IRIS – Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Welcome.US. The Welcome Corps aims to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans in 2023 to welcome refugees through private sponsorship.
Refugee newcomers who arrive through the Welcome Corps will follow an established government process that includes extensive security vetting and health checks. They will have refugee status, employment authorization, access to key public benefits like health insurance, and can eventually apply for U.S. citizenship. The Welcome Corps provides sponsor groups with access to tools and resources, including a budget template, fundraising support, an arrival checklist, and ongoing guidance throughout the initial sponsorship period.
Americans interested in learning more about sponsorship or to apply to the Welcome Corps should visit WelcomeCorps.org.
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About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Applauds Bipartisan Introduction of the Dignity Act
May 23, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Today, a bipartisan group of congressional leaders led by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) introduced the Dignity Act – a broad immigration reform bill that would include an earned path to legal status for qualifying undocumented immigrants with the option to pursue naturalization, an expedited path to citizenship for Dreamers, and reforms to border security and asylum processing.
World Relief celebrates the introduction of this bipartisan bill. As will be the case in any carefully-negotiated consensus legislation, we may have concerns with some elements of the bill, but we are encouraged by this good-faith, bipartisan process that includes many of World Relief’s longstanding immigration policy priorities.
“Legislative reforms to the entire U.S. immigration system are long overdue, but the only path toward broad, durable reforms is through bipartisan cooperation. I’m thankful to Rep. Salazar, Rep. Escobar and the other original cosponsors of this bill for doing the hard work of forging consensus across the partisan lines that for decades have stymied real reforms from passing into law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Consistent with the biblical conviction that all human beings are made in the image of God with inherent dignity and potential, the Dignity Act would allow undocumented immigrants to earn permanent legal status and eventual citizenship if they pay a fine and meet other requirements. I pray that both Republicans and Democrats in Congress will come to the negotiation table to finally realize reforms that both secure our borders and show compassion to immigrants.”
The bill stands in contrast to a partisan bill that narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, H.R. 2, which would dramatically roll back existing legal protections for asylum seekers and for unaccompanied children in ways that World Relief believes are morally unacceptable. But unlike a partisan bill that has no chance of being signed into law in the current Congress, the bipartisan Dignity Act addresses the policy priorities of both Republicans and Democrats. We urge members of Congress in both parties to take this bill as a starting point for further negotiation, and urge the Biden administration to play a constructive role in convening good-faith negotiations as well.
As a global Christian humanitarian organization with a long history of partnering with evangelical churches to welcome immigrants to the U.S., World Relief encourages Christians to use their voices to advocate for long-overdue immigration reforms. A study by Lifeway Research last year found that 78% of American evangelicals support proposals that “would both increase border security measures and establish a process so that those immigrants in the U.S. unlawfully could earn permanent legal status and eventually apply for citizenship if they pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, and complete other requirements
during a probationary period.” That represents a 12% increase since 2015. Notably, only 15% of American evangelicals would oppose such a proposal.
“We’ve advocated, mobilized local churches and prayed for many years for many of the policies included within this bill,” observed Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy for World Relief. “We’re not naive to the political challenges ahead in forging consensus in a time of deep partisan divides, but we also believe in a God for whom nothing is impossible. We’re both praying and mobilizing for the day when a broad, bipartisan reform, including an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, is signed into law.”
To learn more about World Relief’s programs around the world, visit worldrelief.org.
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
Learn more at worldrelief.org.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
###
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Applauds Bipartisan Introduction of the Dignity Act
May 23, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Today, a bipartisan group of congressional leaders led by Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) introduced the Dignity Act – a broad immigration reform bill that would include an earned path to legal status for qualifying undocumented immigrants with the option to pursue naturalization, an expedited path to citizenship for Dreamers, and reforms to border security and asylum processing.
World Relief celebrates the introduction of this bipartisan bill. As will be the case in any carefully-negotiated consensus legislation, we may have concerns with some elements of the bill, but we are encouraged by this good-faith, bipartisan process that includes many of World Relief’s longstanding immigration policy priorities.
“Legislative reforms to the entire U.S. immigration system are long overdue, but the only path toward broad, durable reforms is through bipartisan cooperation. I’m thankful to Rep. Salazar, Rep. Escobar and the other original cosponsors of this bill for doing the hard work of forging consensus across the partisan lines that for decades have stymied real reforms from passing into law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Consistent with the biblical conviction that all human beings are made in the image of God with inherent dignity and potential, the Dignity Act would allow undocumented immigrants to earn permanent legal status and eventual citizenship if they pay a fine and meet other requirements. I pray that both Republicans and Democrats in Congress will come to the negotiation table to finally realize reforms that both secure our borders and show compassion to immigrants.”
The bill stands in contrast to a partisan bill that narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month, H.R. 2, which would dramatically roll back existing legal protections for asylum seekers and for unaccompanied children in ways that World Relief believes are morally unacceptable. But unlike a partisan bill that has no chance of being signed into law in the current Congress, the bipartisan Dignity Act addresses the policy priorities of both Republicans and Democrats. We urge members of Congress in both parties to take this bill as a starting point for further negotiation, and urge the Biden administration to play a constructive role in convening good-faith negotiations as well.
As a global Christian humanitarian organization with a long history of partnering with evangelical churches to welcome immigrants to the U.S., World Relief encourages Christians to use their voices to advocate for long-overdue immigration reforms. A study by Lifeway Research last year found that 78% of American evangelicals support proposals that “would both increase border security measures and establish a process so that those immigrants in the U.S. unlawfully could earn permanent legal status and eventually apply for citizenship if they pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, and complete other requirements
during a probationary period.” That represents a 12% increase since 2015. Notably, only 15% of American evangelicals would oppose such a proposal.
“We’ve advocated, mobilized local churches and prayed for many years for many of the policies included within this bill,” observed Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Advocacy and Policy for World Relief. “We’re not naive to the political challenges ahead in forging consensus in a time of deep partisan divides, but we also believe in a God for whom nothing is impossible. We’re both praying and mobilizing for the day when a broad, bipartisan reform, including an earned pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, is signed into law.”
To learn more about World Relief’s programs around the world, visit worldrelief.org.
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that brings sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. For over 75 years, we’ve partnered with churches and community leaders in the U.S. and abroad to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
Learn more at worldrelief.org.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
###
About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Southern California to Host Grand Opening Celebration for New San Diego Office
May 11, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
San Diego, CA – World Relief Southern California will host a grand opening celebration for a new office location in San Diego on Saturday, May 13 at 6565 Balboa Avenue from 11 a.m PST to 1 p.m PST. The new location will complement World Relief’s long-standing office in Orange County by providing services that both welcome immigrants and refugees and empower them to integrate into their new communities.
“World Relief SoCal is thrilled to announce the opening of our new office location in San Diego as we expand our efforts to live out God’s heart for displaced people by creating a community of welcome for our newly arriving neighbors,” said Jane Register, the San Diego Program Director of World Relief Southern California. “At World Relief, we envision a San Diego where refugees and immigrants can thrive and flourish.”
World Relief’s San Diego office will offer case management aid, along with Immigration Legal Services. Additionally, as in all World Relief locations, the new San Diego office will work closely with local churches and volunteers to provide community-based services for immigrant families, including Good Neighbor teams, host homes, tutoring, and mentorship.
“For more than 40 years, World Relief has partnered with local churches to welcome refugees, asylum seekers and other immigrants to Southern California through our Orange County office,” said Aerlande Wontamo, Senior Vice President of US Programs at World Relief. “We’re excited to now have this new physical space from which to serve San Diego County at a time when there is such significant need for those seeking protection, freedom and opportunity in the United States.”
The World Relief San Diego grand opening event will be open to the general public, as well as the press. The celebration is a community-wide grand opening for neighboring businesses as well as the kick-off event for Clairemont’s 2nd Saturdays monthly pop-up shop that features local businesses. It will include food trucks, bounce houses, pop-up shops, and more.
“For the last three years we have been mobilizing San Diego churches to both welcome and walk alongside newly arrived immigrants in the Borderlands of San Diego,” said Heather Kwak, the Office Director of World Relief Southern California. “We are glad to take this next step in opening an additional office location that will allow more communities to welcome new neighbors and meet the needs of the immigrant communities.”
To learn more about World Relief’s work in Southern California and how to get involved, please visit worldrelief.org/socal.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
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About World Relief
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for over 75 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to develop sustainable, locally-driven solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems. To learn more, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Argues Detaining Children Should Stay Off the Table
March 17, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, MD – World Relief is troubled by recent reports indicating that the Biden administration is considering the reinstatement of migrant detention policies utilized by previous administrations. Restoring these policies would allow the government to temporarily hold immigrant families – including young children – in jail-like facilities upon their arrival to the United States while they await a court hearing. As a Christian humanitarian organization, we remain steadfast in our opposition to inhumane policies that harm children, separate families, and create additional hardship for those fleeing violence and persecution.
“Families who have endured a dangerous journey to the U.S. border in order to seek asylum, seeking to avail themselves of protections offered under U.S. law to those who can demonstrate a credible fear of persecution, should not be held in jail-like detention facilities. Frankly, children never belong in such conditions,” said Aerlande Wontamo, Senior Vice President of US Programs at World Relief. “As Christians who believe each of these children and their parents are made in God’s image with inherent dignity, we hope and pray that reports that the Biden administration is considering reviving this process are inaccurate or at least that the broad opposition to such policies leads them to ultimately reject policies that would revive the practice of detaining children.”
World Relief calls on President Biden to fulfill his promise to “secure our border, while ensuring the dignity of migrants and upholding their legal right to seek asylum” by rejecting family detention policies and, instead, investing in more cost-efficient and humane alternatives.
“Among the many policy changes needed to ensure a more orderly asylum system and a more secure border, one change that the Biden administration ought not to consider is a revival of the unjust practice of detaining children in jail-like facilities. While not every family that arrives at the U.S.-Mexico border will qualify for asylum, it’s vital that each is afforded due process to present their case and that we treat everyone – and especially children, given their unique vulnerabilities – humanely,” said Matthew Soerens, Vice President of Policy & Advocacy at World Relief. “There is ample evidence that families who are placed into alternative detention programs will show up for their immigration court hearings in the vast majority of cases, and while we need Congress to invest in significantly increasing asylum adjudication capacity and legal representation for asylum-seeking families, detaining children while they wait for hearings should be off the table.”
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Promotes Refugee Resettlement Efforts in Spokane and Advocates for Greater Community Engagement
March 13, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Spokane, WA – Matthew Soerens, Vice President for Advocacy and Policy at World Relief and coauthor of Welcoming the Stranger: Justice, Compassion and Truth in the Immigration Debate will visit the organization’s Spokane location this Wednesday and plans to speak at a number of scheduled events in the area. Soerens hopes to encourage the local community to extend greater support to vulnerable immigrants and refugees.
On March 15, Soerens will lead a Lunch and Learn event at the Spokane Public Library from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Registration for the event, “Building Communities of Welcome,” is open to the public and will be centered on exploring God’s heart for immigrants and refugees and how communities can participate in providing resources and support that help them settle into their new homes.
“Throughout Scripture, we see repeated proof that God cares uniquely for the vulnerable and the stranger. As refugees continue to join our communities, our interactions with them are an opportunity to reflect God’s heart,”said Soerens. “At World Relief, we have seen time and again refugees’ greatest need is support as they navigate an unfamiliar culture and seek to rebuild their lives in a new country. For the last 30 years, our office in Spokane has risen up to do just that – and our communities must continue to join in this work as the need for these services continues to grow.”
Soerens will also use his visit to Spokane as an opportunity to speak about World Relief’s ongoing advocacy efforts for refugees and immigrants in the United States. The World Relief Spokane office joins in these advocacy efforts by partnering with local individuals, churches, and communities to welcome refugees, and is encouraged by federal programs like Welcome Corps, recently launched by the Biden administration, that allow for private refugee sponsorship.
“Supportive communities are one of our greatest resources for welcoming new refugees into our state and empowering them to become contributing members of their new home,” said Christi Armstrong, Executive Director at World Relief Spokane. “Increasing refugee resettlement efforts in Spokane is not only a response to God’s call to love our neighbors, but is also an investment in building stronger communities.”
To learn more about World Relief’s refugee resettlement efforts in Spokane and to register for the Lunch and Learn event on March 15, please visit worldrelief.org/spokane.