Migrant and Refugee Assistance
With Refugees being in the news so much lately, its timely to update the parish on how Holy Spirit is helping and can help more.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington has welcomed Afghan refugees with Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) to the Diocese – assisting them in finding and furnishing their homes, securing employment, settling their children into schools, and providing for other critical needs – for more than 15 years. Catholic Charities provides these same services to all refugees and SIV holders as part of its broader ministry of serving the poor, protecting the vulnerable, and welcoming the newcomer. Support from parishes and parishioners is essential in helping us welcome and integrate newcomers into our community.
This support has been particularly generous throughout this Afghan refugee crisis.
Here’s how Holy Spirit can continue to assist Catholic Charities at this current time.
- Prayer – Please pray for the safety of all refugees, most especially those from Afghanistan, and for those who are assisting and accompanying refugees through this time of significant turmoil and sorrow.
- Provide permanent housing – Catholic Charities needs landlords or property owners who can rent homes to Afghan refugees. Catholic Charities assists with limited initial financial assistance to help families get settled into their new homes. Refugees/SIVs are expected to be employed and self-sufficient after three months.
- Provide pro-bono professional services such as bilingual mental health counseling, dental or other medical services and school health screenings, or legal services. Many SIV family members need services in Dari or Pashto. Please email [email protected] for more information.
- Plan now to give or volunteer soon – Catholic Charities has been flooded with opportunities to assist, and we are so grateful. They have been a bit over-whelmed with donations over the last few weeks, so Holy Spirit is going to wait a month or so, and will conduct a virtual fund-raiser and food drive for CCDA’s most critical needs in late October / early November.
- Become a Catholic Charities volunteer – You can help Afghan refugees in a variety of ways. Check out our volunteer page and select “Migrant and Refugee Services” in the ministry drop down menu.
Want to learn more about how Catholic Charities is helping Immigrants and Refugees?
