Helping Refugees from Afghanistan

Many churches across the state have a history of welcoming refugees and immigrants and we witnessed a compassionate response to the crisis in Afghanistan. Over a two week period in August 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans were airlifted directly to the United States and brought to processing centers at military bases around the country. Fort McCoy in Wisconsin was home to the largest population of evacuees with as many as 13,000 people. 

With the overwhelming task of caring for and resettling so many people, the Wisconsin Council of Churches got involved in order to help connect congregations and their members to the agencies and organizations hard at work. This program recruited and coordinated volunteers for the Morale, Wellness, and Recreation mission at Fort McCoy and provided assistance to congregations and community groups looking to help with refugee relief and resettlement.

As the process of resettlement moved out of the centers and into communities, we assisted our Wisconsin refugee resettlement agencies with volunteer recruitment and resources. Our member congregations furnished homes and provided services throughout the state, helping our partner agencies as they resettled over 1,000 Afghans and 900 new refugee arrivals in 2021-2022. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we gave over $40,000 in grants to six projects serving Afghans. We also provided up to date information and consultation to congregations discerning their role in refugee resettlement.

This project concluded on December 31,2022, with gratitude for all of our partners and volunteers, and with a commitment to continue supporting the evolving and important work of refugee resettlement in Wisconsin. 

Resources are provided below. For further assistance or consultation with your church/community, contact us at volunteer@wichurches.org.

Useful Links:

Resettlement Agencies, Coalitions, and Communities in Wisconsin

Selections from the Afghan Response Newsletter Archive

While this project has concluded, your donations help us continue to respond to emergent needs across the state.