You're Invited to the "State of Inspiritus" Virtual Event

Dear Friend,

You're invited to our 2021 State of Inspiritus virtual event on Tuesday, October 19 at 7pm EST. It will take a look at what we've accomplished, the challenges we faced in recent years and the road ahead. You will hear inspiring stories from Inspiritus program leaders, how our staff and community helped individuals on their journey from surviving to thriving, and the many ways you can impact lives across our five major program areas, including:

• Disaster Relief

• Children & Family Services

• Refugee & Immigration Services

• Tennessee Empowerment Programs

• Disability & Health Services Programs

We hope you’ll join us on October 19 for this special event–register today by clicking on the button below.

Also, please download and share this flyer detailing the event. We look forward to seeing you at the State of Inspiritus on October 19!

Warmest Regards,

Rev. John R. Moeller, Jr.
President & CEO
Inspiritus

Inspiritus in the News: Helping Afghan Allies

Dear Friend,

I hope you had a restful Labor Day weekend. I am so excited to share some good news with you. As you know, we have been actively spreading the word about our efforts to welcome Afghan Allies, to help raise funding so that every family we welcome can successfully go from surviving to thriving.

Recently, many news outlets have helped us get the word out. I'd like to share some of those highlights with you today.

On Labor Day, Inspiritus was included in a front page story in The New York Times and on "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on FOX News. Special thanks to John Moeller and Aimee Zangandou for their tireless advocacy on behalf of the Afghan families we are welcoming.

Click here to watch John's interview on Fox News or on image below:

Click here to read the The New York Times article featuring Aimee Zangandou.

In addition to those exciting national news stories, John, Aimee, and other Inpiritus staff and volunteers have been busy helping local news outlets share how the public can join us in welcoming Afghan Allies.

In Georgia, listeners to the 19 radio stations of Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) learned more about Inspiritus thanks to an interview with Aimee Zangandou, Inspiritus' Director of Refugee & Immigrant Services. GPB mentioned that the federal government offers only a 90-day period of assistance and nonprofit organizations need additional funding to help these families succeed. Click here to hear Aimee on Georgia Public Broadcasting, PBS, and NPR.

In Savannah, where nearly 100% of Afghans and other refugees Inspiritus resettles are financially self-sufficient within six months of arrival, media outlets are stepping up and helping to educate the community about Inspiritus and the Afghan families we are preparing to resettle locally.

Thank you to Savannah’s WTOC Ch. 11 CBS, WTGS Fox28, WSAV Ch. 3 NBC and WJCL 22 News ABC for their ongoing commitment to telling our story. This recent WJCL interview (featuring Aimee) typifies the support we have received from the Savannah media.

Please feel welcomed to share these news articles with your family and friends. Each one highlights a different aspect of our work to help Afghan allies who have given so much to support U.S. military efforts.

So many of our readers have begun to donate to this cause. Thank you. 100% of your donated funds will directly support Afghan families resettling in Georgia. If you have not yet given, we invite you to prayerfully consider joining us in this mission. You will help make sure every family we settle here in Georgia will have the housing, food, and clothing they need to go from surviving to thriving.

Please continue to join us in prayer for our Afghan friends, as well as our hard working staff, volunteers and donors who are giving them the hero’s welcome they deserve. Thank you for joining us in this mission.

Sincerely,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

UPDATE: Afghan Families are Arriving Now

Welcome Our Afghan Allies to Georgia.

Inspiritus staff and partners have welcomed the first Afghan allies family we are resettling in Georgia, following the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban in August 2021. For those of you following the journey of the first two families arriving, this is the second family Inspiritus expected...they arrived first! Upon arriving on American soil, a hotel worker drove them across the country to help them arrive to their new home in Atlanta as fast as possible. We will provide an update soon on the next family to arrive in Savannah, Georgia.

(Left to right: Becca, Alix & Kimberlie) Inspiritus Refugee & Immigrant Services staff provided a warm welcome to the family.

Ahmad (a former Afghan refugee himself), an Inspiritus employee and Afghan advocate, helped welcome the first arrivals by sharing a meal, lovingly prepared by his family.

Inspiritus has a long history of welcoming refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders to Georgia and accompanying them on their journey from surviving to thriving in Georgia. Inspiritus has been approved by the U.S. government to resettle and support an estimated 15-25 Afghan families (mostly children) into the metro Atlanta and Savannah areas over the next 6 months. Please continue to pray for the families we are awaiting.

You can help. Here’s how:

So many of our readers have begun to donate to this cause. Thank you. 100% of your donated funds will directly support Afghan families resettling in Georgia. If you have not yet given, we invite you to prayerfully consider joining us in this mission.

When our Afghan allies and their families arrive at Inspiritus, they often have little more than the clothes on their backs. In some cases, there can be a gap between the families’ arrivals and the services they are eligible to receive through the United States resettlement program.

This is where you can help. Your financial support to sponsor an Afghan family will provide food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs for our newest neighbors.

We need your urgent help to give them the hero’s welcome they deserve.

Many of our friends and colleagues want to help but don’t know how. Share this fundraiser, or host your own, and empower your friends to directly support Afghan families that Inspiritus will be resettling in Georgia. In addition to the two families we are welcoming, the Inspiritus teams in Atlanta and Savannah are preparing to resettle an estimated 15-25 Afghan families as they are able to safely travel to the United States. Follow this Fundraiser for updates on the status of these families.

As we anticipate to support a large influx of Afghan SIVs, securing affordable housing is our number one priority. If you live within 50 miles of Atlanta or Savannah, Georgia, and are willing to provide temporary housing in your home or have a rental property you would like to make available, please let us know. For more information, please email Sarah Burke.

You may also consider purchasing items from our Amazon Wish List or sharing it with your friends and family. The gift cards, household and personal care items purchased from our Amazon Wish List will go directly to the families we are helping to resettle in Georgia.

Lift up your hearts in prayer for our Afghan friends. Visit LIRS’ website for both a Christian and an interfaith prayer.

Sincerely,

Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

URGENT: Updates on families from Kabul

Our Afghan Allies need your help.

Inspiritus has a long history of welcoming refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders to Georgia and accompanying them on their journey from surviving to thriving in Georgia. Inspiritus is monitoring the situation very closely and our teams in Atlanta and Savannah are prepared to rapidly resettle and support a large influx of Afghan SIVs into the metro Atlanta and Savannah areas in response to this humanitarian crisis.

The U.S. government has already approved 14 Afghans (two families, mostly children) for Inspiritus to resettle and we are closely following their efforts to escape Afghanistan. These families had flights arranged to fly to Georgia last week but as Kabul fell to the Taliban last Sunday, all travel arrangements were shut down. These families are in grave danger as they attempt to enter the Kabul airport access points, but have been unable to enter due to the crowds and Taliban violence.

In light of the violence and explosions at the Kabul airport yesterday, we would like to share updates on the two Afghan SIV families we are awaiting now:

After a terrifying week, and five attempts to make it through the crowds and Taliban violence into the Kabul airport, one of the Inspiritus families made it into the airport last night with their children. They have since flown to Qatar, and flights have been arranged to bring them to the USA. We anticipate that we will likely be able to resettle them in Savannah, GA soon after their arrival, where Inspiritus staff and local volunteers and churches eagerly await them. We will keep you posted.

Please continue to pray for the second family we are awaiting. They have not yet been able to get safely inside the Kabul airport, but we have heard from them following today’s bombing, and they are safe and were not in the vicinity when it occurred. Prayers for their continued safety and successful escape. We have received word that Inspiritus will be requested to resettle many more Afghan families soon.

You can help. Here’s how:

So many of our readers have begun to donate to this cause. Thank you. 100% of your donated funds will directly support Afghan families resettling in Georgia. If you have not yet given, we invite you to prayerfully consider joining us in this mission.

When our Afghan allies and their families arrive at Inspiritus, they often have little more than the clothes on their backs. In some cases, there can be a 5-7 day gap between the families’ arrivals and the services they are eligible to receive through the United States resettlement program.

This is where you can help. Your financial support to sponsor an Afghan family will provide food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs for our Afghan friends as they await the official services available to them through the US government.

We need your urgent help to give them the hero’s welcome they deserve

Many of our friends and colleagues want to help but don’t know how. Share this fundraiser, or host your own, and empower your friends to directly support Afghan families that Inspiritus will be resettling in Georgia. The U.S. government has already approved 14 Afghans for Inspiritus to resettle and we expect many more to come as soon as they are able to safely travel to the United States. Follow this Fundraiser for updates on the status of these families.

Contact your Members of Congress and the White House and demand they prioritize the evacuation of Afghan allies and urge them to provide urgent humanitarian protections, including immediate evacuation, for those who have put their lives on the line for our country and are now at risk.

Here is a sample script to use when calling your Members of Congress.

“Hello, my name is ______, and I am a resident of ______, GA. I am very concerned for the safety of Afghan allies who remain in Afghanistan after the recent government collapse. These allies put their lives and the lives of their families at risk to support the U.S. military. It is now time to protect them as they face imminent, immediate threat from the Taliban. First, we must urge the Biden administration to evacuate all of our Afghan allies. Secondly, we must improve and expedite the SIV program for Afghan nationals who have supported the U.S. military. We must push the Biden administration to provide a comprehensive evacuation plan that prioritizes the safety of the Afghan allies and others who are vulnerable. Thank you.

Senator Jon Ossoff: 202 224-3521

Senator Raphael Warnock: (202) 224-3643

To find your representative, please visit this link.

As we anticipate to support a large influx of Afghan SIVs, securing affordable housing is our number one priority. If you live within 50 miles of Atlanta or Savannah, Georgia, and are willing to provide temporary housing in your home or have a rental property you would like to make available, please let us know. For more information, please email Sarah Burke.

Lift up your hearts in prayer for our Afghan friends. Visit LIRS’ website for both a Christian and an interfaith prayer.

This situation has been heartbreaking for our Afghan staff, community, and the Refugee and Immigrant Services team. We hope to have good news to share with you soon.

– Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

URGENT: Help Welcome Afghan Allies to Georgia

Our Afghan Allies need your help.

What is happening in Afghanistan is devastating. Inspiritus is greatly concerned about the well-being and safety of human life in grave danger of Taliban retaliation. We stand in solidarity with our Afghani allies and their families.

Inspiritus has a long history of welcoming refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders to Georgia and accompanying them on their journey from surviving to thriving in Georgia. Inspiritus is monitoring the situation very closely and our teams in Atlanta and Savannah are prepared to rapidly resettle and support a large influx of Afghan SIVs into the metro Atlanta and Savannah areas in response to this humanitarian crisis.

You can help. Here’s how:

When our Afghan allies and their families arrive at Inspiritus, they often have little more than the clothes on their backs. In some cases, there can be a 5-7 day gap between the families’ arrivals and the services they are eligible to receive through the United States resettlement program.

This is where you can help. Your financial support to sponsor an Afghan family will provide food, housing assistance, clothing, and other basic needs for our Afghan friends as they await the official services available to them through Inspiritus.

We need your urgent help to give them the hero’s welcome they deserve.

Many of our friends and colleagues want to help but don’t know how. Share this fundraiser, or host your own, and empower your friends to directly support Afghan families that Inspiritus will be resettling in Georgia. The U.S. government has already approved 14 Afghans for Inspiritus to resettle and we expect many more to come as soon as they are able to safely travel to the United States.

Contact your Members of Congress and the Biden Administration and demand they prioritize the evacuation of Afghan allies and urge them to provide urgent humanitarian protections, including immediate evacuation, for those who have put their lives on the line for our country and are now at risk.

Here is a sample script to use when calling your Members of Congress.

“Hello, my name is ______, and I am a resident of ______, GA. I am very concerned for the safety of Afghan allies who remain in Afghanistan after the recent government collapse. These allies put their lives and the lives of their families at risk to support the U.S. military. It is now time to protect them as they face imminent, immediate threat from the Taliban. First, we must urge the Biden administration to evacuate all of our Afghan allies. Secondly, we must improve and expedite the SIV program for Afghan nationals who have supported the U.S. military. We must push the Biden administration to provide a comprehensive evacuation plan that prioritizes the safety of the Afghan allies and others who are vulnerable. Thank you.

Senator Jon Ossoff: 202 224-3521

Senator Raphael Warnock: (202) 224-3643

To find your representative, please visit this link.

As we anticipate to support a large influx of Afghan SIVs, securing affordable housing is our number one priority. If you live within 50 miles of Atlanta or Savannah, Georgia, and are willing to provide temporary housing in your home, please let us know.

For more information on volunteering, please email Sarah Burke.

Lift up your hearts in prayer for our Afghan friends. Visit LIRS’ website for both a Christian and an interfaith prayer.

This situation is very heartbreaking for our Afghan staff, community, and the Refugee and Immigrant Services team.

– Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

A Statement on the Afghanistan Crisis

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

More than 300,000 Afghan allies who worked with the United States have been placed in mortal danger following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan. We urge the U.S. government to do everything possible to evacuate all those who put their lives in danger by supporting U.S. missions during the past 20 years. We call on world leaders to advocate for an immediate ceasefire and support a peaceful settlement to the conflict. We stand with the people of Afghanistan who are in danger, including those who are at risk due to their collaborations with the U.S. military, especially the families and friends of Inspiritus staff and colleagues.

Inspiritus guides individuals and families on a path from surviving to thriving. We empower those whose lives have been disrupted to discover their strengths and resilience, accompanying them as they grow into vibrant contributors to their community.

Inspiritus’ Refugee & Immigrant Services program partners with the U.S. Department of State: Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service as a local affiliate to empower refugees and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders to resettle and thrive in Georgia. We also work in local partnership with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA, along with many local businesses, congregations, and individuals.

Our teams are prepared to rapidly resettle and support a large influx of Afghan SIVs into the metro Atlanta and Savannah areas as a result of this conflict. We will update you soon with ways you can help.

With a heavy heart,

Rev. John R. Moeller, Jr.
President & CEO,
Inspiritus

For media inquiries: weinspirit.org/expertsresource or contact Dan Curran at 770-658-9586

Photo cred: NBC News

We Stand With All Dreamers

Dear Friends,

We are disheartened and disappointed to learn of the recent ruling on DACA that prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from approving new applications to this vital program. We stand in solidarity with all dreamers and call for a compassionate immigration system that recognizes their incredible contributions and creates a pathway to citizenship in the only home they’ve ever known.

On Friday July 16, 2021, a federal judge partially struck down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This ruling prevents future applications. As result, 81,000 first-time DACA applicants will now not be eligible for DACA protections. Such a ruling goes against our very mission of empowering those whose lives have been disrupted to discover their strengths and resilience in their pursuit of a path to freedom.

Since 2012, DACA has granted these youth with long-awaited protection from deportation. This opens potentially bright new pathways for jobs, scholarships and travel for many individuals who were brought into the United States as children.

As an organization that works with individuals seeking asylum in the United States, let's continue to advocate for reform that includes a path to citizenship for all dreamers. Your support is so important as Inspiritus continues the important work of empowering our neighbors on their journey from surviving to thriving.

Kind Regards,

Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

National Leaders Tour Our Refugee Services

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Inspiritus received official recognition for its refugee resettlement work recently, along with other agencies that serve newly arrived refugees. As part of the World Refugee Day celebration, Inspiritus was honored to host U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Brian P. McKeon and Nancy Izzo-Jackson, senior bureau official, Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) at our site in Clarkston last Friday.

This is the first official visit for Deputy Secretary McKeon and the first time a deputy secretary ever visited a local refugee community. Deputy Secretary McKeon was privileged to hear stories from a number of Inspiritus Refugee and Immigrant Services staff originating from Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Guinea, and Democratic Republic of Congo (and staff positions ranging from Employment Coordinator, Employment Specialist, Social Adjustment Case Manager, Case Manager Team Lead, and Financial Coach). The Deputy Secretary was deeply moved by these stories and delighted in hearing about how they were living the Inspiritus mission of transitioning from “surviving to thriving”.

Politics aside, it was a high honor for Inspiritus to showcase its work and help federal officials learn about the real-world impact of the work made possible by our friends, partners, supporters, and communities.

Thank you to everyone who made this honor possible!

Kind Regards,

Rev. John R. Moeller, Jr.
President & CEO,
Inspiritus

Action Alert: Help Protect Our Afghan Allies

Dear Friend,

Since 2002, the U.S. Government has employed Afghan allies to serve alongside U.S. troops, diplomats, and other government employees. Regrettably, these allies and their families soon became the targets of anti-American violence. They continue to be threatened, abducted, and targeted for their allegiance to the U.S. and NATO mission.

This issue is deeply personal to our Refugee and Immigrant Services team; multiple team members themselves fled Afghanistan for their lives as Special Immigrant Visa holders (SIVs) after aiding the US military.

Ahmad Habibzai is currently the Employment Coordinator for Refugees in Inspiritus' Atlanta office. Below is his story and call to action:

---

“My name is Ahmad Habibzai; I have worked with USA programs in Afghanistan from 2007-2012. We had a great life back in Afghanistan but after some time my family received threats from Taliban, and then I decided to apply to Special Immigrant Visa program. I came to USA in 2014 to save our lives. My family had a hard time here, but we worked hard to ensure our future is bright. My daughters and sons are going to school with a huge vision to help the world; right now everyone is happy and life is back to normal."

"The SIV program is crucial for Afghan Interpreters and Afghans’ who worked with USA programs in Afghanistan during the last two decades. Their lives and their families’ lives are in danger due to their support to USA. They risked their lives for the hope that they will have a great country and a bright future for their families and future generations which did not happen. They did their part with honesty, dedication, and loyalty, and now they need your help. Please help them."

---

Inspiritus has resettled hundreds of SIVs, and their stories are truly remarkable and heroic. The Afghan SIV program was created to provide a pathway to protection to those who face danger because of their service to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. It is our moral imperative to keep our promise to those we pledged to protect.

We're joining our Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) family, as well as several veterans’ groups, and members of Congress, in calling upon our government to urgently evacuate American-affiliated Afghans and their families...now! You can add your voice, by sending a message here.

As always, thank you for the compassion, support, and care you provide to the refugees we serve. We couldn’t do this work without you!

With Gratitude,

Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

World Refugee Day is June 20

Dear Friend,

Please join us and our Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies partners as we celebrate World Refugee Day at Refuge Coffee Co., in Clarkston on Jun 20th!

Enjoy delicious food from local vendors, family-friendly activities, and delicious iced tea and coffee drinks as you meet your neighbors. Listen to special guest speakers, gather information at our advocacy booth, and experience incredible music and dance performances by various community groups. Shop locally from refugee and immigrant business owners at our vendor’s market.

Guests are asked to please register in advance. Invite interested friends and family members and share the news on your social channels using the hashtags #GALovesRefugees #RefugeesWelcome

If you have any questions, please contact me at sarah.burke@weinspirit.org

Don't miss this chance to show your support for refugees-RSVP below!

With Gratitude,

– Sarah Burke
Community Engagement Coordinator
Inspiritus

U.S. Annual Refugee Admissions Cap Raised to 62,500

Dear Friend,

I have waited four years for this day. As a former refugee, I was excited by yesterday's news that the United States will officially raise the refugee admissions ceiling for the 2021 Fiscal Year to 62,500. This puts us one step closer to America's historical average of 95,000 and it's a significant increase from the prior year’s record-low of 15,000.

We at Inspiritus rejoice in the spirit of welcome and are eager to empower these individuals and families on their journey from surviving to thriving.

As Rev. John R. Moeller, Jr., Inspiritus' President & CEO has shared:

“Inspiritus is excited to get back to the robust work of welcoming the stranger! Inspiritus and its partners live to offer this welcome. It’s who we are. It’s like sunshine, air, or water to our team. It’s our very life. For the last several years, Inspiritus has experienced a dark winter of the soul. It doesn’t mean we haven’t been busy. In fact, the team has used the time to plan, but now we know that spring is coming. I can see the life blood coming back into bodies, minds and spirits of our staff and partners. Together, we will be more than ready to roll out the red carpet and provide a warm welcome to the huddled masses who seek an opportunity to start anew in America!"

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On a personal note, I wish to thank our many supporters who advocated on behalf of refugees. This increase is thanks to everyone who raised their voices and is proof that advocacy works.

Please consider donating to our refugee services and programs today, so we can continue our work to reunite families. As always, thank you for the compassion, support, and care you provide to the refugees we serve. We couldn’t do this work without you!

With Gratitude,

Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigrant Services
Inspiritus

Join the Conversation: Rebuilding Refugee Resettlement

Dear Friend,

We want to invite you to join Inspiritus’ Director of Refugee & Immigrant Services, Aimee Zangandou, and Inspiritus President & Chief Executive Officer, Reverend John R. Moeller, Jr., in their conversation to discuss our long-standing refugee resettlement program.

It's an exciting time for our Refugee Services as we're getting ready to welcome more and more refugees to Georgia. This includes the important work to be done to rebuild the infrastructure for resettlement, and to prepare our communities on how to welcome their new neighbors.

We hope you’ll join us on Thursday, March 18 to learn more about Inspiritus’ refugee resettlement program, and to hear how we are working to make Georgia a welcoming state for those seeking safety and opportunity in our country!

Inspiritus will be holding two webinar sessions (depending on your location):

THURSDAY, MARCH 18

SAVANNAH: Webinar at 10:00 AM

Register Here

ATLANTA: Webinar at 6:00 PM

Register Here

Be sure to register today so you don't miss out on this informative session. Look forward to seeing you on March 18!

Kind Regards,

Sarah Burke
Community Engagement Coordinator
Inspiritus

Inspiritus speaks to ABC News: "Everyone Needs A Family."

Below is an excerpt from today's ABC News article. Please note, the views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Inspiritus, Inc., a nonpartisan and nonprofit agency.

The hope for refugee resettlement

In 2016, there were nearly 325 refugee resettlement agency offices across the United States. By the end of 2019, more than 100 of those sites had to permanently shut down or suspend their services, according to Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Vignarajah said her organization, alone, had to close 17 affiliate programs during the Trump era.

"Our organization has had to reduce staff almost every quarter over a four-year period, and it's always agonizing to figure out who's the next staff member who's going to have to go," said John Moeller, head of Inspiritus, a resettlement agency that works in Georgia and Tennessee.

His organization's capacity has been reduced by 80% in the Atlanta area and, between the two states, has lost 50% of its staff.

"That means that you lose cultural competence, you lose language skills, you lose specialization in this field," he added.

To keep programs across the country alive, agencies moved staff to other immigration services that were less severely impacted or digging into their own funds as federal resources dried up.

For Zakaria Abdulrazek, 44, that has meant losing co-workers and sweating whether he was next -- even as he struggles to bring his own family to the U.S. from his native Sudan.

Abdulrazek fled Darfur in 2003 amid the genocidal violence, escaping to Libya and then Malta -- and seven long years later, he arrived in the U.S.

Now, Zak works for Inspiritus in Atlanta as a case manager, helping the latest waves of refugees adjust to life in their new home country.

Zak Abdulrazek, a Sudanese refugee who's lived in Atlanta for over a decade, is trying to bring his wife to the U.S., but he told ABC News her application has faced long delays.

But that journey has been a lonely one. He met his wife a few years ago while visiting Sudan, marrying in 2018 and having a daughter last year. But between the coronavirus pandemic's impact on visa processing and Trump's ban on immigration from Sudan and other Muslim majority countries, his family remains separated.

While Zak's encouraged by Biden's executive order (Biden pledged to increase the annual refugee admissions cap to 125,000 in the 12-month period starting Oct. 1.), he's still waiting to see how it will impact his wife's visa application.

"Still we need actions, so we are waiting, hoping it will be better than before," he said.

In the meantime, he worries for their safety, especially as violence flares up again in the Darfur region and Sudan struggles with fuel and food shortages and an economy on the brink of collapse. He said that a close friend returned last month to visit family in Darfur when militant forces targeted him as a U.S. citizen and killed him.

Josine Izabayo, a 24-year-old refugee from Democratic Republic of Congo, moved to the U.S. last year and is adjusting to life in Georgia on her own. She told ABC News she's had a hard time adjusting to life in the U.S., especially without her family who remain overseas.

'Everybody needs a family”

Advocates say the U.S. must do more to meet the historic need. There are more than 80 million people forcibly displaced worldwide, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, including 26 million refugees.

Josine Izabayo, a 24-year old refugee from Democratic Republic of the Congo, made "the very difficult decision to quit your country" in 2014, fleeing the DRC's relentless conflict that made her an orphan. She spent six years in Uganda stuck "in process," she said, awaiting word on resettlement.

"I came to a new country, new life without knowing anybody," Izabayo told ABC News.

One year ago, she moved to Clarkston, Georgia, outside Atlanta. But her adopted family of nine has not been admitted, their applications left in the balance.

"Everybody needs a family to support and to be with, and so it is very challenging for me," she said. "Hopefully, it will be good... soon."

We hope so, too, Josine!

Please consider donating to our refugee services and programs today, so we can continue our work to reunite families. As always, thank you for the compassion, support, and care you provide to the refugees we serve. We couldn’t do this work without you!

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

Inspiritus in U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report
Feb. 5, 2021, at 5:24 p.m.
By Claire Hansen, Staff Writer

Long Shadow of Trump's Refugee Restrictions Threatens Biden's Bid to Up Admissions

Resettlement agencies, crippled by Trump’s policies, say they’re determined to rebuild as President Joe Biden promises to increase refugee admissions.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Inspiritus, Inc., a nonpartisan and nonprofit agency.

The Rev. John Moeller has had to lay off a lot of employees since the Trump administration began slashing refugee admissions four years ago."We have a skeleton staff today," says Moeller, the chief executive officer of Inspiritus, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that provides refugee resettlement services."All of the specialization and professional skills and languages we had on our team have all had to go," he says.

But in some ways, Inspiritus is lucky. It is still open. More than 100 organizations in the U.S. have had to close down or suspend their refugee services in the last four years as former President Donald Trump lowered refugee admissions to rock-bottom levels, drying up federal funding doled out to resettlement agencies. Many organizations that didn't have to close were, like Inspiritus, forced to scale down. Now, the diffuse refugee resettlement infrastructure in the U.S. is facing a new, albeit more welcome, challenge: rebuilding.

President Joe Biden on Thursday said he will raise the refugees admissions cap to 125,000 for the next fiscal year, fulfilling one of his campaign promises while pledging to restore the refugee resettlement system. He also intends to propose raising admissions for this year after a consultation with Congress.

As with many other programs, Biden will be contending with the long shadow cast by Trump administration policies. It'll likely be years before the crippled system is able to once again process and handle such an influx – a fact Biden seemed to acknowledge.

"It's going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged. But that's precisely what we're going to do," Biden said during a speech at the State Department.

Refugee agencies say they're excited and determined, despite the long road ahead.

The president has the authority to determine how many refugees – the world's neediest people, often fleeing devastating violence and persecution in unstable parts of the world – are admitted to the U.S. each year. The fraction of those allowed to settle in the country go through extensive background and security checks that can take up to two years in some cases.

April 7, 2020 | Bogota, Colombia | Venezuelan migrants leaving Colombia walk on a highway with their belongings. Thousands of Venezuelan migrants living in Colombia have lost their jobs and in some cases been evicted from their homes due to the recession caused by the spread of COVID-19. Groups of Venezuelans gather in walking caravans and head to the border crossing in Cucuta, Colombia. (Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images)

Trump, who campaigned on an anti-immigrant message, targeted the refugee program as soon as he took office, almost immediately slashing admissions from 110,000 to 50,000 and pushing the cap down further each year, ending with a ceiling of 15,000 for the current fiscal year.

It was an enormous deviation for the program, which has been robustly supported by both Republican and Democratic presidents and held up as an example of American's moral leadership. The annual ceiling on admissions has historically averaged about 95,000.

Resettlement in the U.S. involves a complex web of private and public partners. It is largely handled by nine major nongovernmental organizations that work with the State Department and either have local offices around the country or partner with local agencies. The federal government, which vets and processes refugees before they are allowed into the country, gives the agencies funding based on how many refugees they settle. Most states also contribute funding, and agencies also rely on volunteers and donations.

Pushing admissions to record lows, therefore, has had a domino effect: Significantly fewer admissions means significantly less money. Less money means fewer staff and fewer offices. "If you wanted to kill a refugee program, this was the way to do it. You squeeze it to death, you strangle it slowly," Moeller says.

The loss of expertise and intellectual capital will be difficult to restore, experts say. Moeller notes that refugee resettlement is an economy of scale: The larger number of refugees an agency serves allows it to be more efficient with staffing and services. Significantly lower admissions also affect whole ecosystems of services that have been grown and nurtured over the years to support newly settled refugees, says Hans Van de Weerd, interim senior vice president, Europe, at the International Rescue Committee, one of the nine major resettlement agencies. "A lot of the systems that benefit from the regular flow of refugees and immigrants arriving get really, really damaged," Van de Weer says of lowered admissions.

Employers that partner with resettlement agencies to provide opportunities for refugees, for example, needed to find other streams of workers when refugee admissions dried up, Van de Weerd says. Losing those partnerships will have a lasting impact, even as admissions ramp back up under Biden.

"The infrastructure and capacity is not there," Moeller says. "The sinews have not been maintained to ensure that the partnerships we need to be effective are knit together."

It wasn't just the raw admissions numbers. The Trump administration also imposed additional bureaucratic barriers on refugees while shuttering refugee offices and reassigning refugee officers.

March 25, 2020 | Berlin | A poster supporting homeless people and refugees is displayed at the window of an apartment building. The German words read: "Racism Kills." (Markus Schreiber/AP)

Trump's travel ban – which was rescinded by Biden on Day One of his term – barred refugees from countries with some of the worst humanitarian crises, like Syria and Yemen. The administration also reset admissions priorities, ditching international standards that push the neediest refugees to the top of the list for guidelines that tend to favor Christians and white Eastern Europeans.

"If you think about the program as a car, not only did the previous administration slam on the brakes, it intentionally sought to dismantle the engine," says Krish Vignarajah, chief executive officer of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of the major U.S. resettlement organizations. Vignarajah said 17 of the organization's affiliated refugee agencies had to close in the last four years as a result of Trump policies. Biden seems eager to start reversing some of those policies. He on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at restoring the resettlement system that included a laundry list of action items. The order directs the government to streamline the refugee process and calls for a review of existing programs and some Trump policies. It also rescinds several Trump actions.

Experts involved in resettlement say changes at the federal level concerning policy and staffing will be crucial in building out the resettlement system again, but refugee agencies themselves will still face formidable obstacles in preparing to handle more admissions. Even just finding and hiring qualified staff back will take time."That whole infrastructure was basically strangled, and rebuilding is going to take a massive amount of time," Van de Weerd says.

April 6, 2020 | Ciudad Juarez, Mexico | Cesar, an asylum seeker from Nicaragua waits with his wife, Carolina (right) and his 8-year-old son Donovan at a U.S. port of entry to change their asylum court dates. (PAUL RATJE/AFP/Getty Images)

Agencies are also facing less tangible obstacles. Trump's rhetoric demonizing immigrants and a charged political atmosphere have contributed to a more hostile and xenophobic environment in some places for refugees, agencies say, though they note that their communities are still overwhelmingly welcoming.

"We have seen a shift in how refugees are treated, because sometimes they're lumped into the pool of immigrants, and people aren't always educated on who refugees are," says Shalaina Abioye, the director of refugee services at Catholic Charities Fort Worth in Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas.

The Trump administration's restrictions on the system, however, came with a few silver linings – some of which could prove crucial in the coming years. Some agencies reassigned staff members from refugee programs to efforts helping asylum-seekers and other immigrants. Those shifts, and the drop in needed refugee services, also allowed organizations to focus heavily on helping communities through the coronavirus pandemic. With less federal funding flowing in, refugee organizations have put more effort into private fundraising, which will come in handy as admissions ramp up and agencies begin to rebuild.

And agencies say they're seeing even more community buy-in and enthusiasm from volunteers – not, perhaps, in spite of the current political environment, but rather because of it.

March 28, 2020 | Lesbos Island, Greece | A migrant family wearing handmade protective face masks stand next to their tent in the Moria refugee camp. (MANOLIS LAGOUTARIS/AFP/Getty Images)

"All of this negative policy attention really did trigger a lot of support in communities," Van de Weerd says. "We will be able to scale up rapidly because there are communities that are willing to help and to stand up and to make local resources available as well."

No one can say for sure how many refugees the U.S. will be able to settle in the next year or two, but many people who work in resettlement say it's unlikely the country will be able to hit 125,000. Some are cautiously optimistic about seeing somewhere between 30,000 and 60,000 refugees admitted in fiscal 2022. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic will likely continue to impose additional barriers on travel and resettlement. Despite a demoralizing four years and the looming challenges ahead, resettlement agencies say they're both hopeful and committed to rebuilding and serving as many people as are admitted to the U.S. Some have already crafted or implemented plans to start expanding their operations again.

"We'll be ready to reach out and hire staff, since there's so many staff who have been laid off from different agencies and across the United States," Abioye says. Moeller, in Georgia, says his staff is determined.

"We will find a way to overcome," he says. "At one level, you might look at the infrastructure and say it's impossible, but at another level, we say that's what we do. We do the impossible."

Please consider donating today to join with us in doing "the impossible."

If you'd like to share a link to this article, please do so here. As always, thank you for the compassion and support you provide to refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants.

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

#refugeeresettlement #SurvingtoThriving #Inspiritus

Inspiritus MLK Day of Reflection 2021

A day of service, learning and advocacy to commemoratethe life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This will be an enlightening afternoon of reflection. We are very excited to announce that we will have a children's pastor and two youth pastors facilitating an age-appropriate learning experience for the first half of the afternoon's event.

Our children will be lead by: Deacon Mary Houck. She serves as Director of Children's Ministry and Special Needs Ministry at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta and has been involved in leadership of the Inspiritus MLK Day of Service for several years.

Our youth will be lead by Reverend Michael Jannett and Hillary Nelson. Reverend Michael is the Assistant to the Bishop for Communication and Formation for the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA. Hillary Nelson is the Director for Middle and High School Youth Ministry at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Atlanta.

The adult sessions will have a multi-sensory approach with musical performances and artist, GW Harper, painting through out the event. We will reflect on Dr. King's messages of peace, hope, and service through poems, lectures, and break-out group discussions.

Families, please register each of your children separately, and indicate whether you'd like a children's ticket (5th grade and under) and/or a youth ticket (6th grade through 12th grade) on our registration page.

Please note that families will begin the event together, on the parent's Zoom link, then we will ask the children to log on to a separate Zoom on their own devices after the introductory portion of the program.

We look forward to learning, serving, and advocating with you on January 18th!

A Special Zoom Event

Monday, January 18, 2020

1:00 PM to 3:00 PM EST

"Hope Can't Be Quarantined"

Dear Friends,

We want to highlight the following op-ed piece that ran over the weekend. Our CEO, John Moeller, co-authored this article along with Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services. In case you missed it, we are reprinting it here as it is a critical topic that needs immediate attention.

________________________________________

Opinion: Migrants in detention deserve dignity, sanitary conditions

While anxious shoppers across the country stockpile toilet paper and hand sanitizer in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, immigrants at Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Georgia, struggle to make their lone bar of soap last the week. Even more so now, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confirmed at least 9 positive cases among detainees in the facility and 23 cases among personnel, according to the private prison contractor, CoreCivic, that operates the detention center.

If they want to wash their hands more frequently or with liquid soap per the CDC’s handwashing recommendations, they must use their commissary accounts – that is, if they have any money at all. Those fortunate enough can buy basic supplies like soap or toothpaste at more than double, or even five times the price they’d pay outside. Only some have the opportunity to earn money by working at their detention facilities, often for a salary of $1 per day. Migrants literally cannot afford the soap to keep themselves safe.

And this soap shortage is only the tip of the iceberg. Nearly every day since the pandemic began, leaders from former ICE acting director John Sandweng to medical experts for the Department of Homeland Security have been calling for the release of the nearly 32,000 migrants in ICE custody to help mitigate further outbreak. In late March, 3,000 medical professionals sent a letter to ICE urging them to reduce the detention population. It responded instead by increasing the number of detainees by 700 within that same week. Despite the agency’s announcement that they would limit enforcement and arrests during the pandemic, raids have continued — including in New York, the crisis’ U.S. epicenter.

Migrant detention centers are, as many have called them, tinderboxes. Close quarters, substandard hygiene supplies, and a failure to adhere to CDC recommendations means that the spread of the virus in these facilities is nearly inevitable. Just this past summer, a mumps outbreak quickly spread through 57 facilities across the U.S. — and already, 267 migrant detainees and 123 ICE personnel have tested positive for coronavirus nationwide.

And yet, efforts to release inmates from prison to stop the spread of COVID-19 have been far more effective than calls to release ICE detainees. Just shy of 32,000 domestic prisoners have been released or diverted from penitentiary facilities nationwide, according to the UCLA School of Law’s “COVID-19 Behind Bars” project. Meanwhile, no more than 700 migrants have been released from ICE detention across the country – with hundreds of men and women above the age of 60 still in custody. Why can we not show the same level-headed compassion to the tens of thousands of migrants with no criminal record?

Seeking a better life should not be a death sentence — and migrants are trying to raise the alarm, despite ICE’s attempts to silence them. Guards at three ICE detention facilities in Louisiana and Texas have used force to suppress protests over coronavirus concerns. We’ve also seen at least five hunger strikes by detainees to secure more hygiene supplies or their release from crowded facilities, where implementing social distancing is impossible.

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is proud to stand with these migrants in the fight for their lives. The coronavirus pandemic is a time of unprecedented uncertainty for all of us, but it is a time, too, for us to acknowledge and embrace our shared humanity.

There are so many ways to help our brothers and sisters in detention: write letters, donate to a visitation program that places funds in migrants’ commissary accounts, urge your elected officials to support humane alternatives to detention, or simply spread the word about the inhumanity faced by those in ICE detention.

Empathy can’t be detained. Compassion can’t be kept in cages. Hope can’t be quarantined.

Krish O’Mara Vignarajah is the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of the nation’s oldest and largest immigration nonprofits.

John Moeller is the President and CEO of Atlanta-based Inspiritus and a Board Member of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.

________________________________________

Please see link to the Op-ed here, and thank you for your continued support and kindness.

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer

Vice President of Development

Inspiritus

New Americans Celebration

The seventh annual New Americans Celebration held their annual day of education and outreach for refugees and immigrants, on Thursday, February 13th. Hosted by the Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies, NAC celebrated new Americans, particularly those now living in Georgia. Supporters met on Atlanta’s State Capitol to engage with legislators and share why refugees and immigrants should continue to be welcomed in Georgia.

The coalition of 21 refugee and immigrant-serving organizations, including Inspiritus, sought to highlight the contributions made by refugees in the state. Currently, the federal government is appealing a judge’s decision to block the Trump administration from enforcing an executive order that allows state and local governments to turn away refugees.

Over 350 advocates braved the rain to let their representatives know that #GALovesRefugees Many speakers spoke on behalf of GA’s refugee community. One of those speakers was Mohammed Karim, a client in our Refugee Youth Career Pathways program. Mohammed had recently become a citizen, and he represented the refugee community during the New Americans Celebration press conference.

Inspiritus resettled Mohammed’s family over five years ago. Mohammed received a scholarship through Inspiritus and is currently a student at Georgia State University studying criminal justice to one day become a police officer or join the U.S. Military. We’re very proud of Mohammed, and you can watch some of the press coverage below:

https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/community-members-march-to-georgia-state-capitol-to-show-support-to-refugees-and-immigrants/85-e84a8ef5-981b-4f9b-b3e0-4f034e205f86

#GALovesRefugees and #GALovesImmigrants!

My letter to you regarding the Refugee Admissions Setback

Dear Friend,

I'm writing to make sure you're aware of the disheartening news regarding the United States' Refugee Resettlement Program. Last week, The Trump Administration announced its intention to set the 2020 refugee admissions ceiling to 18,000: the lowest number in the history of the program. An Executive Order now grants authority to states and local governments to deny refugee resettlement in their communities. This order violates the United States' commitment to welcome the most vulnerable refugees into our country.

Everyone here at Inspiritus, an affiliate of LIRS, is disappointed by this staggering setback. Lifesaving programs that have held bipartisan support for the past forty years are systematically being dismantled.

This issue is a deeply personal one for me. My family fled the Rwandan genocide, and we were fortunate enough to be among the less than 1% of all refugees worldwide to be offered a chance to rebuild our life through this program. I still have a photo of my father and I arriving at the Atlanta airport as refugees in 1997 (pictured below).

Today, I'm privileged to lead an incredible team here at Inspiritus. Like myself, several other staff members are former refugees, and they bring their bravery and resiliency to work every single day.

There are two things you can do to help us in this fight:

1) Please donate to our refugee services here and select Refugee Services in the pull-down menu.
Help us continue to be both a state and a nation that provides safety for our immigrants. Your donation will go towards providing day-to-day needs to newly arrived refugees: an apartment, food, health screenings, orientation, legal documents, and school registration for children. Visit our refugee services page for a full list of services.

2) Contact your elected reps in Georgia, and members of Congress, to ask them to support the GRACE ACT(Guaranteed Refugee Admission Ceiling Enhancement Act).

I want to thank you for your constant support during these past few challenging years. We will continue to advocate for a robust resettlement program and serve refugees who now call Georgia their home.

Kind Regards,
- Aimee Zangandou
Director of Refugee and Immigration Services Inspiritus

We Welcome Refugees to Georgia

I welcome refugee sign

On January 18, more than 200 volunteers from the Atlanta area gathered in the recreation hall of Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain to pack more than 4,000 pounds of rice for refugees recently resettled by LSG.  As they mingled and waited for the rice packing to begin, many volunteers made signs, sharing their reasons for supporting refugees in Georgia and explaining why they choose to spend their day off from work or school as a day of service.

we welcome refugees because we can

refugees welcome sign

In a little over an hour, the hard-working volunteers – who ranged from groups of middle schoolers to individuals and families to groups of adults from local congregations - re-packaged the 25 and 50 pound bags of rice into smaller family-sized bags to be distributed to refugee families.

close up of rice for refugees

So, Why Rice? 

A bag of rice may seem like a strange welcome gift, but to those entering a brand new country with few resources and no immediate means to secure their family’s next meal, rice can be more than just food.  Rice, often a central part of the diets of many refugees, can bring a feeling of comfort and security in a tumultuous period of their life.  When refugees step off a plane at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to begin their new life in the United States, they’re often exhausted and overwhelmed from their journey and the long waiting period spent in a refugee camp.  They are unsure of what the next hours and days will bring.  Lutheran Services of Georgia provides them with food, shelter, clothing, cultural information, and other support in the first weeks in America, setting them up for to be self-sufficient and contributing members of their communities.

volunteers pack rice for refugees

How We Help.

Lutheran Services of Georgia currently resettles over 600 refugee clients each year in the Atlanta and Savannah areas. In 2015, LSG resettled refugees from 14 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Sudan, Indonesia, Iran, and the Ukraine.

packing rice for refugees

LSG is there to secure housing for refugees, help refugees find their first job, and assist refugees in getting acclimated to life in Georgia. LSG supports refugees as they apply for important documents, including social security and Georgia ID cards, enrolls refugee children in school, and helps refugees select a primary care physician. LSG provides cultural orientation covering essential aspects of U.S. culture, including U.S. law, medical and educational systems, transportation, banking, and more. With help from organizations like LSG, more than 80 percent of newly arrived refugees in Georgia became completely self-sufficient within 180 days (source: CRSA).

group packs rice for refugees

In addition, LSG’s Savannah office provides additional support for refugee children through the Refugee School Impact Program, launched in spring of 2015. This program aims to improve the academic performance and social adjustment of refugee children. LSG’s School Liaison and a team of volunteers support families through tutoring, individualized case management, regular assessments, and meetings with parents, teachers, and school administration.

We need your help.

refugees sign live with love, not fear

LSG relies on volunteers and donors to help the many families in need in Georgia.

Pastor Stephen Friedrich of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Marietta, Ga. shared his reason for volunteering:

"Participating in the MLK Day of Service with LSG was a tangible way for me to put my Christian faith into action. We believe that God's kingdom is a place where all are fed and welcomed. Yesterday I was part of a group working with God for his kingdom right in our midst. For me, there is no greater joy!"

Refugee resettlement is only a portion of what we do and who we serve.We help find homes for children through Foster Care and Adoption.  We keep families together who at risk of separation through our Family Intervention Services.  LSG provides disaster relief when needed.  If you are interested in volunteering with Lutheran Service of Georgia, please contact us at 404-875-0201 or click here to get involved.

Thank You, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church!

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Thanks to our friends at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church who delivered Hope Tree Shoe Boxes for refugee children made by their congregation, and have been making the shoe boxes for refugee children for many Christmases!

They delivered to Redeemer Lutheran Church, Atlanta, who also played a big role in facilitating Hope Tree by providing space for gifts to be sorted, organized and delivered to refugee children and families that LSG works with in Clarkston.