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Local Nonprofits Launch ‘Welcoming Nashville Fund’ to Support Afghan Neighbors

Oct 13, 2021 | News

Community Donations Needed to Help Resettlement Efforts

Greater Nashville will soon welcome more than 300 of our Afghan allies as part of the historic nationwide effort to resettle over 50,000 evacuees from Afghanistan.

During this critical time, several nonprofit organizations including United Way of Greater Nashville, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) and the American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC) have teamed up to establish the Welcoming Nashville Fund, a citywide fundraising campaign housed at United Way of Greater Nashville.

The campaign will help fund resettlement programs already established at Catholic Charities and NICE. Resettlement professionals and case managers at these organizations will help our Afghan allies secure housing, stock pantries, receive necessary health care, obtain important legal documents and much more as they begin their new lives in the United States.

Congress recently passed a bill that provides temporary assistance for Afghan evacuees. While this funding helps pay for initial basic needs, the Fund and our partners will welcome our new neighbors with the tools and resources they need to prosper in their new community in Nashville.

To learn more or make a donation, visit unitedwaygreaternashville.org/welcoming-nashville-fund.

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“We have received countless calls and emails from Nashvillians offering their support for our Afghan allies. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with our partners on this collaborative campaign to welcome our new neighbors from Afghanistan, and we know that this community effort will continue our tradition of ensuring refugees and immigrants achieve their full potential now and for generations to come.” — Dr. Gatluak Thach, President and CEO, Nashville International Center for Empowerment

“Welcoming individuals and families to America has been part of our Catholic Charities mission since 1962. We are pleased to partner with government leaders and other nonprofit organizations to prepare for what we anticipate will be at least 300 of our Afghan allies. We have already seen an outpouring of support from the Nashville community. There is much work to be done acclimating these ‘new Americans’ to Middle Tennessee. We are confident our team of resettlement experts and case managers are ready to serve our newest neighbors.” — Judy K. Orr, Executive Director of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville

“We want to ensure that our incoming Afghan neighbors are welcomed with open arms and have the community support they need to successfully build their new lives in Middle Tennessee. This partnership is a critical step to achieving that goal.” — Sabina Mohyuddin, Executive Director, American Muslim Advisory Council

“At United Way, our mission is to unite the community and mobilize resources so that every child, individual and family thrives. That’s exactly why we are excited to partner with these agencies to help raise vital funds to support these families and ensure that they have what they need to build new lives here in Nashville. This community has a tremendous track record for coming together and showing up for each other in times of need. If we all pitch in, we can make this transition as seamless as possible for our new Afghan neighbors.” — Brian Hassett, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Nashville