By Melanie Johnson, Volunteer Manager, LSG's Refugee & Immigration Services Department

As we all know, it’s been a very sad week for the refugee resettlement community and the vulnerable individuals and families who we serve. In light of the recent executive order temporarily banning all refugees, and indefinitely banning Syrian refugees, I wanted to share some ways that you could help.

1. Donate to Lutheran Services of Georgia and encourage others to donate.
For more than 30 years, we’ve been welcoming and walking alongside refugee families – we are committed to continuing this work to the best of our abilities under the new executive orders. Please consider donating to our refugee program as our federal funding will be significantly reduced during this ban. We need assistance to be able to retain our staff and resources, so we can continue to help the refugees who have already arrived and be fully prepared to continue resettling families when the 120-day halt in resettlement is lifted. Support LSG’s refugee families today by donating. Click here to donate and choose the fund “refugee services.”

2. Tell your elected officials that refugees are welcome in your community and that you oppose the refugee ban. Go online right now to oppose the ban and support refugee rights at the national level (http://www.lirs.org/action) and at the state level (http://bit.ly/2kxoDX2)

3. Support the refugees that are already in our community. Hearing what is happening in the news has been very rough for our refugee clients. Let’s show them that they are welcome here and that they have a community ready to support them. Attend or organize events in your community to stand with refugees.

4. Continue to educate yourself and others. The national resettlement organizations, including our national partner, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, have jointly developed a series of videos and a social media campaign – Refugees Love America – to combat anti-refugee sentiment and open up important public dialogue. Please use the videos with email/facebook/twitter; create your own content (make short videos and share other videos), request action (ask for Congress and the Administration to be reminded that Refugees Love America)! Use #refugeeswelcome.

See http://www.rcusa.org/refugees-love-america

Thank you so much for standing with refugees. We continue to be encouraged and inspired by the outpouring of support.