A few years ago I was introduced to Miry’s List – an LA-based non-profit that helps welcome refugees and their families by getting them set up with a home, basic needs, a job, and introducing them to a community – you can read that post here. I remember that she told me a lot of the parents were former aides to the US – translators that no longer felt safe in their countries after working with the US (many from Afghanistan). Once they arrive here, so far from home, they clearly feel lost. Miry found a hole and has been filling it for 4 years. Their mission is as follows: Miry’s List is a movement of neighbors and friends dedicated to welcoming new arrival refugee families into our community through inspired crowdsourcing.
While the messy fall of Afghanistan is still unfolding and there are a billion unknowns, I think one thing we do know is that those who helped the US over the last 20 years, are no longer feeling safe in the Taliban-controlled country. Many of them are hopefully getting out and brought to the states, and then when they arrive it’s also safe to say that they could use extra resources. Organizations like Miry’s list are crucial to help – not only meet their basic needs but help create a community for them to heal.
While there are a billion ways to help, I wanted to feature Miry’s List today because I know her and her organization personally and can attest to their mission, values, and dedication. I spoke to her this morning and she said that she has 8 new families from Afghanistan that need help, and expect many, many, many more to come soon (hopefully). Here is the link to help these families: Miry’s List Emergency Action Fund. Miry also said she has 3 of her families stuck in Afghanistan who went to visit family this summer. The fund would help them get back as they are currently trapped.
If you want to do more than donate you can volunteer as a family ambassador where you’ll be paired with a family (mostly for those of you in Southern California) and help set up their wishlists to help meet their needs.
From Miry: “The goal of an ambassador is to help get one family’s wishlist fulfilled. We match ambassadors with families, a photo, a bio about them and their experience, and a link to their Target wishlist. Also, we ask ambassadors to periodically call the families to do an emotional check-in. Like you would with a friend who is having a hard time. It could be a quick hello or something longer but these touchpoints can be really impactful for families who feel very isolated and far from home.” To volunteer to be an ambassador you can email: ambassadors@miryslist.org
It’s all a mess, totally terrifying, and watching it from afar is a point of privilege. Thanks to non-profit founders like Miry who have been dedicating their lives for years and have the connections and real protocol to help these families – with extra resources and help from those of us who can afford to give. Again, here is her emergency fund dedicated to this most recent crisis, to help Afghani families resettling in California. Give to Miry’s List Emergency Fund
While I know Miry personally, I know there are so many organizations set up to help during this crisis (and year-round). My team rounded up a few more (and please leave more in the comments). We are all still learning the best ways to help so if you have other ideas that go beyond or instead of donating please list those as well. Our hearts, our love, all our thoughts, and prayers go towards the families in Afghanistan.
Organizations to Support
Save the Children
For 100 years, their mission has been to give children a healthy start in life with the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan are in desperate need of life-saving help. Amid recent airstrikes and shelling, thousand of children and families have been forced to flee, with no access to proper medical care, here are ways you can help:
Ways to help: donation, sponsor a child, or shop gift catalog to give a meaningful gift to a child in need. GoFundMe- Emergency Relief In Afghanistan
Charmagz Library
As one of the few Afghan non-profits registered within Afghanistan, Charmagz Library is a group of young Afghans who have witnessed war and its direct impact on their childhood firsthand. This organization provides mobile library services within Kabul, Afghanistan.
Ways to help: donate to Charmagz Library here
Srow Zar Children @educatethechildrenaf
Children Without Borders and Watan Project
This project was created by Children Without Borders and the Watan Project and they’ve organized a fundraiser where 100% of the proceeds will go to families in need in Afghanistan. You can read more on their project page here.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
No One Left Behind
This was one of Miry’s recommendations. They are the only nationwide nonprofit committed to ensuring that America keeps its promise to our interpreting allies and their families who risked their lives for our freedom.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
Help Build Tomorrow
Help Build Tomorrow (HBT) core mission is to help those in need through sustainable projects for a better tomorrow. This organization’s current campaign goal is to provide urgent needs from tents to food, blankets, drinking water, and hygiene items among other pressing needs. The funds collected in this campaign, will be deposited in the accounts of the US-based non-profit, HBT (Help Build Tomorrow) in smaller increments, and HBT will transfer those funds to local volunteers coordinated by a fundraiser team selected from the community in diaspora around the world, who will supervise the disbursement in full transparency and report back to the community.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
“Tent Village” in Kabul by PARSA (Mina Sharif)
They have set up a “tent village” in downtown Kabul and are serving 40 families displaced by the Taliban advance. The Scout camp is being supported by local residents who are dedicated to doing whatever they can to help their fellow citizens. You can donate to this organization so they can get more resources and necessities for these families.
Ways to help: donate to the tent village campaign here
Human Concern International
Human Concern International is on the ground supporting internally displaced people who have left behind their rural towns for city centers with more support. There are more than 270,000 IDPs (internally displaced people), and the figures are rising. Men, women, children, and the elderly are in dire need of clothing, food, water, and shelter. Some need medical care due to sickness, old age, or injury. You can watch videos of their past work here.
Ways to help: donate to their campaign here
***NOTE: There were so many other amazing campaigns that have already reached their goal (or surpassed it which is AWESOME), these are the campaigns that are still actively needing support. If you have any more ways to help or organizations that need a spotlight, please comment them below!
If you looking for other ways to support, consider donating your time through phone banking. Here are some resources below!
Phone Banking
- Text Crisis to 52886
- Use this Afghanistan Congressional Call Script document for a list of representatives to call along with a general script you can say is an attempt to centralize contact information and demands for US politicians regarding Afghanistan.
- This Congressional Advocacy Script document is for calling and petitioning congressional representatives based on your district
Hopefully, this is helpful. Thank you all for reading and taking the time to be here. And most importantly, thank you for doing your part 
The post How To Help Families From Afghanistan Right Now – Miry’s List and Other Organizations appeared first on Emily Henderson.
from Emily Henderson https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/how-to-help-afghanistan-2021
No comments:
Post a Comment