Press Release
World Relief Mobilizes to Provide Immediate Support to Devastated Communities in Wake of Turkey and Syria Earthquake
February 7, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md. – In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, World Relief has mobilized resources on the ground to provide immediate assistance and long term support for search and recovery efforts.
“We join with our international partners in grieving the significant loss of life from the earthquakes and extend our prayers to the impacted communities,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “At World Relief, we desire to see a world free from suffering, and when disaster strikes, our faith compels us to respond. By providing immediate emergency aid, World Relief is committed to delivering hope to impacted communities and assistance in rebuilding from this disaster both in the short term and in the years to come.”
World Relief is partnering with local partners and churches on the ground in Turkey and Syria to provide support and resources to impacted communities including food and clean water, emergency medical assistance, safe shelter, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support.
World Relief is committed to extending the love and compassion of Christ to suffering and grieving communities in Turkey and Syria by joining with its international partners to provide immediate support and build resilience.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
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World Relief Chicagoland staff are praying for the people impacted by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
World Relief Mobilizes to Provide Immediate Support to Devastated Communities in Wake of Turkey and Syria Earthquake
February 7, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md. – In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, World Relief has mobilized resources on the ground to provide immediate assistance and long term support for search and recovery efforts.
“We join with our international partners in grieving the significant loss of life from the earthquakes and extend our prayers to the impacted communities,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “At World Relief, we desire to see a world free from suffering, and when disaster strikes, our faith compels us to respond. By providing immediate emergency aid, World Relief is committed to delivering hope to impacted communities and assistance in rebuilding from this disaster both in the short term and in the years to come.”
World Relief is partnering with local partners and churches on the ground in Turkey and Syria to provide support and resources to impacted communities including food and clean water, emergency medical assistance, safe shelter, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support.
World Relief is committed to extending the love and compassion of Christ to suffering and grieving communities in Turkey and Syria by joining with its international partners to provide immediate support and build resilience.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Mobilizes to Provide Immediate Support to Devastated Communities in Wake of Turkey and Syria Earthquake
February 7, 2023
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md. – In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, World Relief has mobilized resources on the ground to provide immediate assistance and long term support for search and recovery efforts.
“We join with our international partners in grieving the significant loss of life from the earthquakes and extend our prayers to the impacted communities,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “At World Relief, we desire to see a world free from suffering, and when disaster strikes, our faith compels us to respond. By providing immediate emergency aid, World Relief is committed to delivering hope to impacted communities and assistance in rebuilding from this disaster both in the short term and in the years to come.”
World Relief is partnering with local partners and churches on the ground in Turkey and Syria to provide support and resources to impacted communities including food and clean water, emergency medical assistance, safe shelter, sanitation and hygiene, and psychosocial support.
World Relief is committed to extending the love and compassion of Christ to suffering and grieving communities in Turkey and Syria by joining with its international partners to provide immediate support and build resilience.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against Human
Trafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children
January 31, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md., January 31, 2022 – World Relief joined with other like-minded organizations to
send a letter today to members of Congress urging them to vote against H.R. 29, a bill recently
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. If signed into law in its current form, H.R. 29
would leave many vulnerable people fleeing persecution and violence shut out from protections
offered under current law, including unaccompanied children who are among the most
vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking.
“[H.R. 29] would effectively nullify several important provisions of the William Wilberforce
Trafficking Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008 governing the treatment of certain
unaccompanied children. This bill, which was passed with broad bipartisan support and signed
into law by President George W. Bush, has been a vital tool in protecting children and others who
are uniquely vulnerable to human trafficking,” says the letter, which was signed by World Relief.
Other signatories include International Justice Mission U.S., World Vision U.S., the Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of
Evangelicals, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Bethany Christian Services and
Women of Welcome. “Our concerns are rooted in our Christian faith, believing that each person
is made in the image of God and is worthy of protection. In particular, a child unaccompanied by
his or her parent(s) is uniquely vulnerable.”
World Relief is deeply concerned that H.R. 29 would roll back significant anti-trafficking
protections by nullifying portions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
(TVPRA), which stipulates proper treatment to protect unaccompanied children. The TVPRA
requires that unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries who are encountered at
the U.S. border be cared for in secure, child-appropriate settings until the U.S. government can
determine their eligibility to remain lawfully in the United States.
“Unaccompanied children seeking asylum at our borders are uniquely vulnerable and worthy of
our protection. Thankfully, current U.S. law ensures that these children are protected and are
legally allowed to remain safely in the United States if they meet the necessary criteria,” said
Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. “But if H.R. 29 is
signed into law in its current form, many children will be turned away, forced to return to
countries where they face increased risk of violence or trafficking. This bill would fail to treat
unaccompanied children seeking protection in our country with the compassion and due process
they deserve.”
As an organization grounded in Christian principles, World Relief believes that each person is
made in the image of God and is precious in his sight. We urge Congress to continue protecting
“the least of these” by voting against the H.R. 29 bill in its current form, and we urge Christians to
voice their concerns with their lawmakers.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Urges Congress to Reject H.R. 29, Warns It Will Hinder Fight Against HumanTrafficking and Harm Vulnerable Children
January 31, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Baltimore, Md., January 31, 2022 – World Relief joined with other like-minded organizations to
send a letter today to members of Congress urging them to vote against H.R. 29, a bill recently
introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. If signed into law in its current form, H.R. 29
would leave many vulnerable people fleeing persecution and violence shut out from protections
offered under current law, including unaccompanied children who are among the most
vulnerable to becoming victims of human trafficking.
“[H.R. 29] would effectively nullify several important provisions of the William Wilberforce
Trafficking Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2008 governing the treatment of certain
unaccompanied children. This bill, which was passed with broad bipartisan support and signed
into law by President George W. Bush, has been a vital tool in protecting children and others who
are uniquely vulnerable to human trafficking,” says the letter, which was signed by World Relief.
Other signatories include International Justice Mission U.S., World Vision U.S., the Ethics &
Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the National Association of
Evangelicals, the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Bethany Christian Services and
Women of Welcome. “Our concerns are rooted in our Christian faith, believing that each person
is made in the image of God and is worthy of protection. In particular, a child unaccompanied by
his or her parent(s) is uniquely vulnerable.”
World Relief is deeply concerned that H.R. 29 would roll back significant anti-trafficking
protections by nullifying portions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
(TVPRA), which stipulates proper treatment to protect unaccompanied children. The TVPRA
requires that unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries who are encountered at
the U.S. border be cared for in secure, child-appropriate settings until the U.S. government can
determine their eligibility to remain lawfully in the United States.
“Unaccompanied children seeking asylum at our borders are uniquely vulnerable and worthy of
our protection. Thankfully, current U.S. law ensures that these children are protected and are
legally allowed to remain safely in the United States if they meet the necessary criteria,” said
Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief. “But if H.R. 29 is
signed into law in its current form, many children will be turned away, forced to return to
countries where they face increased risk of violence or trafficking. This bill would fail to treat
unaccompanied children seeking protection in our country with the compassion and due process
they deserve.”
As an organization grounded in Christian principles, World Relief believes that each person is
made in the image of God and is precious in his sight. We urge Congress to continue protecting
“the least of these” by voting against the H.R. 29 bill in its current form, and we urge Christians to
voice their concerns with their lawmakers.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
To learn more about World Relief, visit worldrelief.org.
World Relief Spokane Applauds Creation of the Welcome Corps, A New Refugee Private Sponsorship Program
CONTACT:
Barbara Comito
bcomito@wr.org
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
Media welcome: Monday, January 30 at 5 p.m. World Relief Spokane will hold an informational meeting on the Biden Administration’s new Welcome Corps at 1522 N Washington Street. Come learn more about this new program, what it means for refugees and other newcomers, what it means for community members, and how World Relief Spokane plans to support the effort.
This week the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, a new refugee private sponsorship program that will allow everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the United States. This new program will expand community support for refugees and also eventually allow private citizens to sponsor refugees they identify abroad to be resettled to the United States. World Relief Spokane applauds this effort and is eager to partner with the U.S. government and the Spokane community to welcome refugees, both through our own refugee resettlement program and the new private sponsorship program.
The Welcome Corps has a goal to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to partner with members of their communities to help refugees secure initial housing in the U.S., greet them at the airport, enroll children in school, and help adults to find employment. World Relief is committed to assisting the Welcome Corps reach that goal.
“The Spokane community is an extremely welcoming community,” said Executive Director Christi Armstrong. “Over the course of the past 30 years, World Relief Spokane has resettled more than 11,000 men, women and children. We eagerly endorse all the ways the community partners with us to make this a safe home for people fleeing violence and persecution.”
Through the Welcome Corps, groups of at least five individual American citizens or permanent resident adults are able to apply to privately sponsor refugees resettling to the United States. Private sponsors are responsible for independently raising funds to support refugees for their first 90 days in their new community, as well as helping refugees find housing, employment, and connecting them to community services.
For more information on the Welcome Corps, please attend the informational meeting on Monday, January 30, 5 p.m., at World Relief Spokane, 1522 N Washington Street. You can also find a wealth of information on the Welcome Corps website. Further information and education is also available on the World Relief website. We encourage churches, individuals, and other community organizations to explore these resources for more information and reach out with any questions or concerns.
World Relief Applauds Creation of the Welcome Corps, A New Refugee Private Sponsorship Program
January 19, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Recently, the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, a new refugee private sponsorship program that will allow everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the United States. This extraordinary new program will expand community support for refugees and also eventually allow private citizens to sponsor refugees they identify abroad to be resettled to the United States. World Relief applauds this effort and is eager to partner with the U.S. government and communities all across the United States to welcome refugees, both through our own refugee resettlement program as well as through the new private sponsorship program.
The Welcome Corps has a goal to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to partner with members of their communities to help refugees secure initial housing in the U.S., greet them at the airport, enroll children in school, and help adults to find employment. World Relief is committed to assisting the Welcome Corps reach that goal.
“At a time of unprecedented displacement, innovative programs like the Welcome Corps are needed to expand U.S. resettlement to the persecuted abroad. For years, faith communities have desired to welcome refugees independently, utilizing their resources and connections to create a sense of belonging for new Americans,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Our hope is that this program expands public-private partnerships and also catalyzes a greater movement of Americans to welcome refugees into their communities.”
Over the past few years, Americans have been overwhelmingly supportive of welcoming refugees, including Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans. The launch of the Welcome Corps helps formally support these efforts and will hopefully lead to a greater number of refugees eventually being resettled to the United States.
“The introduction of the Welcome Corps program is a meaningful step in the right direction, empowering our communities to support vulnerable individuals who are seeking protection from persecution in their countries of origin,” said Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief.
Through the Welcome Corps, groups of at least five individual American citizens or permanent resident adults are able to apply to privately sponsor refugees resettling to the United States. Private sponsors are responsible for independently raising funds to support refugees for their first 90 days in their new community, as well as helping refugees find housing, employment, and connecting them to community services.
For more information on the Welcome Corps or to become a private sponsor, visit the Welcome Corps website. Further information and education is also available on the World Relief website. We encourage churches, individuals, and other community organizations to explore these resources for more information and reach out with any questions or concerns.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Applauds Creation of the Welcome Corps, A New Refugee Private Sponsorship Program
January 19, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, the State Department launched the Welcome Corps, a new refugee private sponsorship program that will allow everyday Americans to privately sponsor refugees coming to the United States. This extraordinary new program will expand community support for refugees and also eventually allow private citizens to sponsor refugees they identify abroad to be resettled to the United States. World Relief applauds this effort and is eager to partner with the U.S. government and communities all across the United States to welcome refugees, both through our own refugee resettlement program as well as through the new private sponsorship program.
The Welcome Corps has a goal to mobilize at least 10,000 Americans to partner with members of their communities to help refugees secure initial housing in the U.S., greet them at the airport, enroll children in school, and help adults to find employment. World Relief is committed to assisting the Welcome Corps reach that goal.
“At a time of unprecedented displacement, innovative programs like the Welcome Corps are needed to expand U.S. resettlement to the persecuted abroad. For years, faith communities have desired to welcome refugees independently, utilizing their resources and connections to create a sense of belonging for new Americans,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Our hope is that this program expands public-private partnerships and also catalyzes a greater movement of Americans to welcome refugees into their communities.”
Over the past few years, Americans have been overwhelmingly supportive of welcoming refugees, including Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans, and Nicaraguans. The launch of the Welcome Corps helps formally support these efforts and will hopefully lead to a greater number of refugees eventually being resettled to the United States.
“The introduction of the Welcome Corps program is a meaningful step in the right direction, empowering our communities to support vulnerable individuals who are seeking protection from persecution in their countries of origin,” said Jenny Yang, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy at World Relief.
Through the Welcome Corps, groups of at least five individual American citizens or permanent resident adults are able to apply to privately sponsor refugees resettling to the United States. Private sponsors are responsible for independently raising funds to support refugees for their first 90 days in their new community, as well as helping refugees find housing, employment, and connecting them to community services.
For more information on the Welcome Corps or to become a private sponsor, visit the Welcome Corps website. Further information and education is also available on the World Relief website. We encourage churches, individuals, and other community organizations to explore these resources for more information and reach out with any questions or concerns.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Affirms New Biden Administration Proposal Expanding Legal Pathways for Those Fleeing Hardship, Decries New Asylum Restrictions
January 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, President Biden announced a series of new immigration policies seeking to address the challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration plans to significantly expand parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — allowing individuals with U.S.-based sponsors to lawfully enter the U.S. and be authorized to work upon arrival — while creating new restrictions for individuals from these and other countries who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border and wish to seek asylum. To do so, the Biden administration is relying upon the legal authority of Title 42, a public health law whose use the administration has previously said is no longer justified, but which the U.S. Supreme Court has kept in effect with a temporary hold issued last month. Under the Title 42 policy, individuals are expelled to Mexico without the ability to seek asylum under the terms of longstanding U.S. immigration law. The administration also announced expansion of refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere and additional new proposed restrictions on asylum eligibility.
World Relief welcomes the expansion of lawful mechanisms for entry for individuals from these countries and is eager to partner with local churches to facilitate their integration, but opposes new proposals that would deny due process to those seeking refuge in the United States along the border.
“We strongly denounce any policies imposed by any administration that prohibit, deter, or limit individuals from seeking refuge in the U.S. as allowed by U.S. law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Those fleeing their countries due to conflict, violence or fear not only have the right to seek safety and protection but to plead their case to determine if they qualify to stay in our country lawfully.”
World Relief has persistently advocated for the reversal of the previous administration’s harmful, illegal, and ineffective anti-asylum policies and now 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.”
“We certainly acknowledge that not every individual who arrives at the border will qualify to be granted asylum under U.S. law, but we must respect our nation’s moral and legal obligations to ensure due process for those seeking protection from persecution,” said Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief. “We are encouraged by the expansion of legal avenues for those who have fled countries where people are enduring incredible hardship. However, such processes should not be paired with new restrictions on asylum for those with no other avenue for protection under current U.S. law but for reaching the U.S. border to seek asylum. We urge President Biden to work with Congress to develop a pathway forward that both protects our nation’s borders and respects the dignity and value of all human life, especially those who are vulnerable.”
To learn more about World Relief Chicagoland, visit worldrelief.org/chicagoland.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.
World Relief Affirms New Biden Administration Proposal Expanding Legal Pathways for Those Fleeing Hardship, Decries New Asylum Restrictions
January 5, 2022
CONTACT:
Pinkston Team
wr@pinkston.co
BALTIMORE — Today, President Biden announced a series of new immigration policies seeking to address the challenges at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Biden administration plans to significantly expand parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela — allowing individuals with U.S.-based sponsors to lawfully enter the U.S. and be authorized to work upon arrival — while creating new restrictions for individuals from these and other countries who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border and wish to seek asylum. To do so, the Biden administration is relying upon the legal authority of Title 42, a public health law whose use the administration has previously said is no longer justified, but which the U.S. Supreme Court has kept in effect with a temporary hold issued last month. Under the Title 42 policy, individuals are expelled to Mexico without the ability to seek asylum under the terms of longstanding U.S. immigration law. The administration also announced expansion of refugee resettlement from the Western Hemisphere and additional new proposed restrictions on asylum eligibility.
World Relief welcomes the expansion of lawful mechanisms for entry for individuals from these countries and is eager to partner with local churches to facilitate their integration, but opposes new proposals that would deny due process to those seeking refuge in the United States along the border.
“We strongly denounce any policies imposed by any administration that prohibit, deter, or limit individuals from seeking refuge in the U.S. as allowed by U.S. law,” said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. “Those fleeing their countries due to conflict, violence or fear not only have the right to seek safety and protection but to plead their case to determine if they qualify to stay in our country lawfully.”
World Relief has persistently advocated for the reversal of the previous administration’s harmful, illegal, and ineffective anti-asylum policies and now 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.”
“We certainly acknowledge that not every individual who arrives at the border will qualify to be granted asylum under U.S. law, but we must respect our nation’s moral and legal obligations to ensure due process for those seeking protection from persecution,” said Jenny Yang, vice president for advocacy and policy at World Relief. “We are encouraged by the expansion of legal avenues for those who have fled countries where people are enduring incredible hardship. However, such processes should not be paired with new restrictions on asylum for those with no other avenue for protection under current U.S. law but for reaching the U.S. border to seek asylum. We urge President Biden to work with Congress to develop a pathway forward that both protects our nation’s borders and respects the dignity and value of all human life, especially those who are vulnerable.”
To learn more about World Relief Chicagoland, visit worldrelief.org/chicagoland.
To download a PDF version of this press release, click here.