Welcome.US

Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash addressed Clinton Global Initiative Monday night, sharing how sponsorship is more than a solution to global displacement—it’s healing divides and strengthening communities. Welcomers in over 12,000 zip codes and all 50 states are showing the power of sponsorship—changing the lives of newcomers as well as their own. “When we look around, we see solutions, not crises,” Nazanin said. “I hope you see the same, and join this welcoming movement.” Welcome.US is proud to be a part of What’s Working at #CGI2024.

Now open—The Welcome Fund is launching its third All of Us grant opportunity to support community-based organizations in small and medium-sized cities that are building strong volunteer programs to welcome newcomers. Learn more about eligibility, timeline, and application. → https://lnkd.in/eBrvyW27

A great chat on Téa's Coffee about what makes American communities welcoming! Thank you, Téa Ivanovic, Co-founder and COO of Immigrant Food restaurants, for featuring Welcome.US President Anya McMurray in this conversation. "Small towns actually are beautiful welcoming places," Anya shared, with jobs, affordable housing, and many similarities to the hometowns of newcomers to the United States. Watch their conversation! https://lnkd.in/eFESNpvn

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Join Welcome.US for our upcoming Live Information Session to learn how you can provide a pathway to safety for newcomers seeking refuge in the U.S. Our Welcome.US staff and Amy, an experienced sponsor, will share more about what it means to sponsor, who is seeking sponsorship, how you can qualify for financial support, and more. You’ll get a live demo of our Welcome Connect platform and have time to ask questions to our Welcome.US team. Register today for our next session at 5:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Sept. 24. → https://lnkd.in/gS9yVmiX This session is for Americans who are interested in learning more about sponsoring an individual or family who they do not know.

At Welcome.US, we celebrate the beautiful connections that form when newcomers find community in their adopted homes. Marie and Berlange's story exemplifies the power of shared experiences and mutual support. Though they fled Haiti under difficult circumstances, their parallel journeys led them to forge a meaningful friendship in the United States. Their bond reminds us that refugees often find strength, comfort, and understanding in one another as they build new lives. By welcoming newcomers with open arms, we create opportunities for these enriching relationships to flourish, weaving diverse stories into the fabric of our communities.

Welcome.US was honored to kick off the USCIS and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s administrative naturalization ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Washington, D.C. This ceremony is part of a special program designated as #ConstitutionDay and #CitizenshipDay during Citizenship Week. As part of our partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, serving as a member of the Welcome.US CEO Council, we support their focus on civics and engagement. This work—the work of welcoming—is a long and proud tradition in the United States. From faith communities to civic organizations to small businesses and major corporations, Americans are deeply involved in welcoming newcomers because we are a nation of contributors, of people who take action and help others. Led by Welcome.US’s Monna Kashfi—with her own compelling newcomer story—we hosted inspirational leaders based in the D.C. region to hear about their personal and family experiences as newcomers, the contributions of newcomers in the Greater Washington Region and nationwide, and to celebrate the accomplishments of those being naturalized, as well as the important work of welcoming them. Special thanks to Karan Bhatia, Global Head, Government Affairs and Public Policy at Google; Kojo Nnamdi, Journalist and Radio Personality at WAMU 88.5; and Téa Ivanovic, Co-founder and COO of Immigrant Food restaurants; for sharing their stories and insights and encouraging the new Americans in the room to consider welcoming as a civic pursuit. We are grateful to our panel of Welcomers, and the next generation of Welcomers they inspired, for helping us grow this movement! #BeAWelcomer #CitizenshipDay #ConstitutionDay

Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for Americans to step up as sponsors. Sponsorship is one of the few safe pathways for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Ukrainians, and Venezuelans to find refuge in the United States. The Welcome Connect platform enables everyday Americans to provide a lifeline for those seeking safety and a chance to rebuild their lives in the United States. Individuals or groups in America who want to sponsor a newcomer can start their sponsorship journey by registering at any time on Welcome.US/welcome-connect.

Welcome Connect is a FREE platform; you should never pay for access or assistance. Do not pay money to anyone who claims they can help you find a sponsor or access Welcome Connect for a fee. We are, and will continue, investigating reports of fraud and suspicious activity to block these users from accessing the platform. Registration for Welcome Connect will be ongoing on a limited and scheduled basis to ensure successful connections between sponsors and beneficiaries. For more information and resources, visit Welcome.US.

Welcome.US is three years into an incredible welcoming journey, and we are thankful for Welcomers like you who are extending helping hands to newcomers, proving that welcoming fosters real connections. In the midst of historic displacement, we recognize a powerful truth: America is a nation of Welcomers. Three years ago, Welcome.US set out to tell this story. And thanks to your compassion and generosity, we can do so in more than 12,000 zip codes across all 50 states.  America's story has always been about people coming together. Through welcoming, we have the chance to write a new chapter—one that reflects the best of who we are. How will you be a part of it?