FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
Following the Announcement of Uniting for Ukraine program, nearly 70 organizations sign on to historic effort to support people fleeing Ukraine
Following the announcement from the Biden-Harris Administration that people fleeing Ukraine will be eligible for humanitarian parole in the United States with a sponsor through a streamlined process starting Monday, April 25, RefugePoint joined Welcome.US in an initiative to mobilize 100,000 Americans to sponsor and welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine and make it possible for them to come to the United States.
Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for displaced Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members to come to the U.S. and stay temporarily for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in Uniting for Ukraine must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the country. Learn more about directly sponsoring people fleeing the war in Ukraine and seeking refuge at ukraine.welcome.us
“This program will go a long way toward helping Ukrainians reunite with family and friends in the U.S.,” said Sasha Chanoff, RefugePoint’s CEO. “By calling on Americans to help, this program builds on a tradition of welcome that grows daily as more Americans open their hearts and homes to refugees.”
The willingness of American citizens to step up in times of crisis and welcome refugees has been proven time and again. We’ve seen this most recently with the Americans who welcomed Afghan evacuees through the Sponsor Circle Program for Afghans. Uniting for Ukraine was influenced by the success of the Sponsor Circle Program, which RefugePoint has helped to build. Now Americans have an opportunity to welcome Ukrainians. We know that welcoming refugees is not only a lifeline for them; it’s a transformational experience for those who open their hearts and homes.
To mobilize 100,000 Americans as sponsors, Welcome.US is partnering with a diverse coalition of public leaders and organizations. In addition to RefugePoint, the coalition includes Ukrainian American community organizations, resettlement agencies, service organizations, and other non-governmental organizations with a long tradition of supporting newcomers. This historic effort is supported by a $3.6 million contribution from Goldman Sachs Gives. A full list of partner organizations can be found here.
While the U.S. begins to welcome Ukrainians through this new program, RefugePoint calls for rebuilding the United States Refugee Resettlement Program in an inclusive way to reach those who are often overlooked and forgotten, and providing access to essential social services and a pathway to more permanent relief for those who cannot safely return home. Syrians, Congolese, Sudanese, Somalis, and others are living in equally dire circumstances. RefugePoint is committed to ensuring that refugees everywhere, no matter the color of their skin or national origin, have access to resettlement and security. We urge the Biden administration to fund, prioritize and expand USRAP and the US asylum system to ensure that the United States’ humanitarian responses are equitable and accessible.
CONTACT: Alexis Brooke Felder, Senior Communications Manager, RefugePoint (felder@refugepoint.org)