NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The United States is currently involved in a historic effort to resettle over 50,000 evacuees from Afghanistan.
300 of them are coming to Music City.
The United Way of Greater Nashville, American Muslim Advisory Council, Nashville International Center for Empowerment, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville, and Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood are calling on the public to help our new neighbors get settled.
On Wednesday, these organizations officially launched the “Welcoming Nashville Fund”, which will support our Afghan neighbors as they resettle in Nashville.
Nashvillians will be able to donate to the fund, help buy supplies for these families, volunteer their time, host a family, and more.
United Way of Greater Nashville’s Executive Vice President Erica Mitchell said this is really about the community coming together to help people trying to make a better life for themselves.
“I can't imagine what these folks are facing. Having to evacuate and flee an area and to resettle in a place that is completely unfamiliar. The very least that we can do just from a humanitarian standpoint is to extend the hand to say that we were going to try to understand and be supportive. We can help. There are things that we can do to help make your stay and your resettlement that much easier and more bearable,” Mitchell explained.
Congress recently passed a bill that provides temporary assistance for Afghan evacuees.
While it does help pay for some initial basic needs, The United Way of Greater Nashville’s goal is to welcome Afghan allies with all the tools and resources they need to prosper.
They will be leaning on the Nashville community to ensure our new neighbors have access to the entire network of services and support they need to become economically self-sufficient and successfully transition into life in the United States.
"Our goal is to ensure that the transition is as seamless as possible. And, and I think that we have a great opportunity to do that just by helping our neighbors. It’s just a wonderful opportunity for the community to come around again as people are in need as people are in crisis, Nashville does this so well,” Mitchell said.
You can learn more about the fund and how you can help by clickinghere.
