Take Action: Help LSG Welcome Refugees to Georgia

By Emily Laney, Atlanta Program Manager for Refugee and Immigration Services

Many of you were shocked and saddened by the pictures and story that have circulated of a sweet Syrian 3-year-old boy, Aylan. He and his family drowned while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to safety. The plight of Syrian refugees and other refugees around the world is beyond what most of us can fathom. The pictures and story of this precious little boy are heartbreaking and can leave us feeling powerless. What can one person do?

Each year, LSG resettles hundreds of refugees from all around the world in the Atlanta and Savannah areas. We would love to help connect you with Georgia's refugees. Here are three ways you can help LSG welcome and support newcomers locally.

1) DONATE: Do you have a vehicle you are no longer using? What about furniture, kitchen items, household goods, or clothes? Refugees come to the United States with very few possessions, and any donations we can acquire for them help tremendously.

2) BEFRIEND: Are you a career professional? College student? Mom with a few kids? We can help anyone connect with a refugee family to befriend and mentor on U.S. culture, the workplace, parenting, and more. Whatever your passions and skills, there is probably a refugee family who would love to meet you!

3) GIVE: Whether you can give $25 for a MARTA transit pass, $250 to sponsor program costs for a client to attend cultural orientation, or  $1,100 to provide matching funds for our employment program, every dollar you give will help create a warm welcome for refugees in Atlanta and Savannah.

If you are interested in any of these opportunities, contact Melanie Johnson at 678-686-9619 or mjohnson@lsga.org.