Thank You for Participating in Hunger Walk Run 2021!

Hello Friends,

What an amazing Hunger Walk Run we had this past Sunday! So many supporters showed up for Inspiritus, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and local food ministries/pantries. We want to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and participation.

Even though we couldn't walk together this year at the Home Depot Backyard, many congregations reported a record number of members coming out for virtual walks around their neighborhoods!

PICTURED: Kimberlie Marsh, Refugee & Immigrant Services Client Services Manager and Aimee Zangandou, Inspiritus Refugee & Immigrant Services Director

PICTURED: Walkers from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, John's Creek

Congratulations to Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marietta for having the largest number of registered walkers and runners with 43.

Congratulations to our Newest Champions:

• Rev. Mary Armstong-Reiner, St. John Lutheran Church, Griffin

• Barbara Arne & Heather Wallace, St. John's Lutheran Church, Atlanta

• Stacy Fisher, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd/Daily Bread, Douglasville

• Chuck Storla, Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marietta

• Becky White, Trinity Lutheran Church, Lilburn

PICTURED: (Champion) Heather Wallace, St. John's Lutheran Church, Atlanta

Most of all, we had some very impressive totals that we just have to share:

• $41,456 in confirmed online donations

• 480 donations

• 27 teams

• 286 registered walkers/runners

Hunger Walk was a great success because of you. And you rose to the challenge of doing something totally new with the event going virtual! We won't know the final totals for at least a month since donations will continue to come in through the end of March, but we do know that there may be some surprises in the top ten.

It was such a great chance to get outside, get active AND support a great cause. We're already looking forward to next year!

With Gratitude,
– Lorraine Dorough
Inspiritus

PICTURED L- R: VIP Champion Don Larsen, Joan Larsen, Superior Court Judge Beau McClain & his wife Heather, Susan Duke, Butch & Leila Myers, founder of Daily Bread Ministry. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Douglasville

PICTURED: Team Matthew 25:35 (which includes members from First United Lutheran Church and Mt. Zion AME Church in Kennesaw).

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

The Middle Tennessee Tornado: One Year Ago Today

TODAY IS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE TORNADO

In the early hours of March 3, 2020, the Middle Tennessee Region suffered a deadly tornado that left 25 dead and many homes destroyed. Our Nashville property at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church was spared; however our Germantown and North Nashville neighbors suffered significant damages. We want to take a moment and reflect on the one year anniversary of this disaster.

THE NEED WAS GREAT

North Nashville/Germantown suffered a direct hit to homes and businesses. Initial surveys indicated EF-3 tornado damage in East Nashville, Nashville’s Donelson neighborhood and in Mt. Juliet, a town about 20 miles east of Nashville.

Communities inside and outside of metro Nashville were devastated. Putnam County emergency officials confirmed 18 of the 25 Nashville tornado fatalities occurred in Cookeville, TN.

Inspiritus disaster response teams immediately set up a feeding station for residents in the Nashville area, and sent in volunteer teams for debris removal, chainsawing, and roof tarping.

We worked closely with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA and other faith partners to provide a daily lunch and access to food and water supplies for local residents and responders.

Local emergency management needed Inspiritus' support with the rapid influx of volunteer and non-profit agency responders coming into the area, so we helped lead the coordination of thousands of volunteers in this response.

At that same time this tornado hit, Middle Tennessee (and the rest of the United States) was hit with another disaster: the coronavirus pandemic. Not only was COVID a danger to these insecure neighborhoods, there was growing concern about the need for hunger relief (especially individuals with disabilities, health risks, low-incomes, and job losses).

Shelter in place orders caused an additional hurdle to the response, but thanks to the determination and perseverance of our staff and volunteers, we were one of the few food pantries to remain open continuously in the Nashville region last year. And, our disaster response volunteers continued to help while following proper CDC guidelines and safety measures.

HOW WE HELPED

• Provided over 1,000 COVID-19 Prevention Kits

• Served 1,909 individuals through our Nashville Food Pantry

• Completed 34,429.50 volunteer hours

• Completed 116 jobs, and 95 home repairs

• Cleared 7 1/2 miles of roads for homeowners’ access

• 5 acres were cleared for a community swimming pool

• Sponsored 204 active family gardens for families in low-income communities

WE'RE STILL WORKING

Today, Inspiritus continues to accompany families who have yet to recover from the Middle Tennessee tornado. With the support of partners like Lutheran Disaster Response, Thrivent, and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, we have teams on the ground now helping repair dozens of homes in Cookeville. We are also currently leading complete home rebuild projects for several families whose homes were destroyed.

Even though a year has passed, some families are still unable to return to their homes. Families like the Hardy family. In case you missed it, watch how we’re restoring hope for the Hardys one year later in this special news report.

This work is only possible because of partners like you. Please consider donating to the Inspiritus disaster relief efforts so we can continue to help more families like the Hardys.

In addition to this recovery effort, we currently have response teams on the ground in neighboring Overton County, TN, and have established a volunteer camp at the local Police Academy. Please join us if you're available! Food and housing is provided. Please email Sabrina More, our Lead Disaster Case Manager / Disaster Relief Volunteer Manager, if you're interested in volunteering at sabrina.more@weinspirit.org

We ask that you join us in prayer for these families and volunteers as we work to empower those still suffering on their path from surviving to thriving.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

Our Middle Tennessee Tornado Response was made possible through partnerships with:

Day 8: TN Response Update

Day 8: TN Winter Response Going Strong

At least 12 people died after last week's winter storm in Middle Tennessee. Winter storm Uri plunged temperatures to below the freezing mark and left thousands of households without power.

Overton County was hit particularly hard. The Emergency Manager for Overton County and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency called Inspiritus in to help. We rapidly deployed several of our volunteer chainsaw teams to begin clearing roadways to ensure the electric company could restore power to households.

We've had over 425 requests for help in Overton County. Now our disaster response teams are assisting homeowners and offering free chainsaw services to their homes and property.

Today, the team is setting up a new base at the Livingston Police Academy. The Heritage Academy (out of Cookeville, TN) is bringing in trained sawyers and swampers to join us daily. They will also be graciously cooking and providing all our dinner meals.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Inspiritus has received hundreds of requests asking for assistance and we are looking for volunteers! If you'd like to volunteer on this response, please sign up here.

AirLink is flying our teams in for this response, and as of now, our confirmed volunteers are from: Washington, Michigan, Oregon, and California. Some volunteers are driving in from Kentucky, Georgia, and Indiana. We are so grateful for these kind souls helping with our on the ground relief efforts!

Special thanks to these partners for making this effort possible: Airbnb, Airlink, Home Depot, Overton County, and Christian Emergency Network.

We are preparing for a multi-week response, so we can continue to empower Middle TN residents on their journey from surviving to thriving. We will continue to share updates from the ground as our teams assist those impacted by this deadly storm. Thank you for your donations. If you haven't given yet, please consider giving today by clicking on the button below. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
Inspiritus

10 Days Away from 2021 Virtual Hunger WalkRun!

Hello Friends,

We're ten days away from the Hunger Walk/Run on March 7.

Here are 10 ways you can participate:

1. Set up your own team

2. Join a team-click here to find one!

3. Donate to a Team

4. Fundraise for a team

5. Become a Champion, get a yard sign, and display it

6. Join the Inspiritus Team

7. Donate to the Inspiritus team!

8. Promote on your social media*

9. Send emails to friends & family, encouraging them to donate or walk/run

10. Join a Hunger Walk virtual event. View on Youtube or Facebook

*Get Social! Make sure to include a link to your personal or team fundraising page in every Facebook, Instagram and Twitter post about the Hunger Walk Run. Be sure to tag the Food Bank @ACFB (on Instagram and Twitter) and use the hashtag #HWR2021. Also, send thank you notes to supporters...it's important to thank everyone that is supporting you!

Join the Hunger Walk's Champions Club

Remember that anyone who raises $500 or more earns a spot in Hunger Walk's Champions Club and is eligible for special benefits and privileges.

Click here to learn more about the Champions Club.

Congratulations to our new VIP Champions: Mike Frey and Rachel Thornton from Lutheran Church of Resurrection in Marietta and Maggie DeLano from Prince of Peace in John's Creek.

And our new Champions: Hermon Rao from Cross of Life Lutheran Church in Roswell, and Theresa Rogers from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

Congratulations also to our top five teams to date:

1. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, John's Creek

2. Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Marietta

3. Cross of Life Lutheran Church, Roswell

4. Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd/Daily Bread, Douglasville

5. St. Luke Lutheran Church, Atlanta

*To see a full list of teams and join an existing team, click here

Don't forget to pick up your t-shirts:

All online registrants are eligible to receive a walker or runner t-shirt. You will have the opportunity to either have the t-shirt shipped for a nominal fee or elect to pick it up the following t-shirt distribution days:

• March 6 - The Atlanta Community Food Bank 12-4pm (2021 shirts)

Find a trail near you and get walking or running!

Find a great outdoor trail near you to get your steps in and help feed a hungry neighbor. View the list of trails here.

• Join your team, family or friends and get active in your community, walking or running at any time or join us virtually on March 7.

• If your congregation isn't going to have a team this year, you can still walk! Join or donate directly to our Inspiritus team! The need is great, and your support will make all the difference.

Did Someone Say Sandwich?

On March 7, wear your 2021 Hunger Walk Run T-shirt to any local Arby's, purchase a small order of french fries and receive a free Classic Roast Beef Sandwich! Share the news with your friends and family and encourage them to register.

We have over 182 registered walkers and runners, 23 teams and $20,909 in confirmed gifts! Donations are still coming in as we write this.

Also, there will be no donation envelopes this year. Instead you can access the donation form here and include it with checks made out to Hunger Walk (not Inspiritus!) and put it in a regular mailing envelope.

Let's keep the momentum going and add more teams for our strongest turnout yet. Also, we have posters and cards you can share. If you'd like some, contact Sarah Burke or Lorraine Dorough today. Hunger Walk is a great chance to get outside, get active AND support a great cause!

With Gratitude,

– Lorraine Dorough

Inspiritus

Last year, 24 teams from congregations across metro Atlanta, plus our staff team at Inspiritus, raised $73,440.57 in support of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Inspiritus, and food ministries in their communities!

Middle Tennessee Ice Storm Response

Overton County, TN Rapid Response

Over the last week, Middle Tennessee has been impacted by snow from the winter storm that is currently sweeping the nation. This unprecedented change in temperatures has brought significant freezing rain to eastern Middle Tennessee.

Freezing rain and the weight of ice (and additional snow) have caused countless trees to snap and break–bringing down hundreds of power lines. Overton County was hit particularly hard.

We coordinated with the Emergency Manager for Overton County and TEMA to rapidly deploy several Inspiritus volunteer chainsaw teams (10 people each team) to begin clearing roadways to ensure the electric company could restore power to thousands of households.

We are deeply saddened that this storm has taken the lives of six Tennesseans so far, four of whom resided in Middle Tennessee. Outages have been reported in nine counties throughout the region – leaving thousands of residents in the dark.

Inspiritus received an additional request asking for 6-10 teams to assist with delivering welfare checks throughout the affected communities. We have organized and deployed additional teams to assist with these efforts – monitoring roadways and tending to clearing fallen trees if necessary to ensure delivery of these checks.

Please consider donating to support our disaster relief work. We couldn't do what we do without your help. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer

Chief Development Officer

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

Preparing to Expand Our Refugee & Immigrant Services

Dear Friend,

In recent years, U.S. policy changes were detrimental to the refugee resettlement infrastructure that has long been a part of the American nonprofit sector. Year after year, we watched as Federal reductions cut refugee resettlement numbers in half, then in half again. During this time, we grieved as our colleagues and partner organizations suffered from these cutbacks and, in some cases, were forced to close their doors.

As 2021 begins, Inspiritus is eager and preparing for rapid expansion of our Refugee & Immigrant Services, to help as our country returns to its legacy of being a global advocate for refugees. We are grateful to our many supporters who care so passionately for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. Your compassion and unyielding support helped us make it through this tough time. Now, it is with great hope that we, together, look forward to rapid growth in the years ahead -- as a wave of policy changes help us return to being the welcomer of refugees we have always been as a country.

Inspiritus would like to thank you all for your continued support during these turbulent and unprecedented times. Without the generosity of individuals like you, our work would not be possible!

Over the last four years, our Refugee & Immigrant Services program had to adapt like never before. But our commitment to those we serve has never faltered.

As we gear up for exciting news from Washington D.C. in the weeks ahead, we need your help now more than ever. President Biden’s immigration proposals not only include a pathway to citizenship for nearly 11 million undocumented immigrants but entail an expanded refugee resettlement plan as well. We are eager to welcome those who seek an opportunity to start anew in America.

Inspiritus and our national partner, Lutheran Immigration & Refugee Services, encourage you to not only welcome these individuals with open arms, but to take action and make an impact in your community.

LIRS has outlined 5 ways YOU can make an difference:

Act: Sign up for the LIRS newsletter or alerts and follow their Facebook page (@LIRSorg) to receive special news blasts with timely information on the changing policies and how you can continue to support the work of welcoming migrants and refugees. These news blasts will include details of each policy, a short summary that can easily be shared with friends and family, and actions you can take to continue to support migrants and refugees.

Donate: Inspiritus, LIRS, and our partner organizations are preparing for some big changes. We invite you to be part of the rebuilding of our capacity to welcome so we can support every migrant and refugee family that comes through our doors. Donate here or use the button below.

Advocate: Your advocacy communicates to our nation’s leaders that the communities they represent stand with migrants and refugees. Though we expect positive change to come with the new administration, we still need your voice! Bookmark the LIRS Advocacy page and stay up to date with the latest ways you can get involved.

Pray: Pray for our country, our leaders, and the changing policies that affect migrants and refugees.

Psalm 146

God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, you have cared for refugees throughout the ages. You walked with Abraham and Sarah. You provided for Hagar and her child Ishmael. When Jacob’s family was forced by famine to leave their home, you guided them to Egypt. You freed your people Israel from slavery and led them, safely through the wilderness. You protected the holy family of Jesus when they fled violence. You commanded your people to show compassion and justice to foreign workers and bade them remember that they once had been wanderers. Jesus identified with the sojourner when he said, ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Teach: LIRS has put together a list of their Top Ten Immigration Policy Priorities for the new administration. Read more about each priority on their website to learn more about how we believe these changes can transform our immigration system.

As always, thank you for the compassion and support you provide to refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. Let us rejoice in the spirit of welcome!

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer
Chief Development Officer
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

Giving Tuesday was a success because of you!

Hi Friends,

By now you are thinking, PLEASE not another Giving Tuesday email from Inspiritus!

Well, we have to send just one more to let you know that because of you're overwhelming generosity and support, we exceeded our goal of $5,000. We reached over $12,000 in donations, including a generous $5,000 match grant from Jill & Eli Flournoy and The Bash Party Rentals.

You made such an impact this Giving Tuesday. We are beyond grateful. Thank you again for all your support!

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer

Vice President of Development

Inspiritus

Giving Tuesday is a week away

Giving Tuesday is one short week away.

Join us next Tuesday, December 1st for a day of giving and celebration. The goal is simple and powerful: to connect more Georgians to Inspiritus for the largest day of giving in our state. Here are a few ways you can participate:

POST. Share all our Facebook posts about Giving Tuesday on your social media channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and help us spread the word! Use the hashtags #GAGives #GivingTuesday

EMAIL. Forward this email with our "GIVE VIDEO" below to your personal network of friends & family, and ask them to forward on to their network. After all, sharing is caring!

DONATE. Please show your support and make a donation to Inspiritus by donating here.

Early donations are now accepted and will go towards our overall goal. Give today to receive a 100% match up to $5,000, courtesy of Jill & Eli Flournoy and The BASH Party Rentals

WATCH & SHARE. Watch and share our "GIVE HOPE" video below. Please share this video with your faith congregation, friends & family today to support our #GivingTuesday efforts.

Your gift will help more individuals and families get back on the path from surviving to thriving. Thank you from all of us here at Inspiritus. We hope you have a safe & healthy Thanksgiving and holiday season!

With Gratitude,

Virginia Spencer

Vice President of Development

Inspiritus

Hurricane Zeta: Day 11: Georgia Response Update

Day 11: Georgia Response Update

Our chainsaw crews are still working hard in Georgia to help residents (many of whom can not afford high home insurance deductibles) recover from Hurricane Zeta.

The above & below photos illustrate the extensive damage one homeowner experienced after Zeta barrelled through their property. As pictured, their home needed serious repair and their car was totaled. This poor homeowner had just moved into their new home five days before Zeta hit.

Our whole volunteer team has been working daily to cut trees, remove debris and tarp roofs for homeowners who need a little extra help.

To date, 21 jobs have been completed since this rapid response began just two weeks ago.

Inspiritus' disaster relief team has a small operations center in Cartersville, GA, and a new volunteer base in Marietta, GA, thanks to the kind generosity of AirBnB and McEachern Memorial UMC. Your donations at this stage are critical. Your help ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta will receive free roof tarping, chainsawing, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership.

Curt got to work with his chainsaw and quickly removed the trees and debris from one homeowner's car and new house.

We work in partnership with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief efforts on the ground in the Southeastern region.

This partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

2020 is the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record, as there have been 29 named storms. Unfortunately, the season isn't over until November 30th and Hurricane Eta is currently circling in the Gulf of Mexico.

Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Inspiritus Disaster Response is made possible through partnerships with:

Our Hurricane Zeta Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Give Hope This Holiday Season

This year, give the gift of hope...

The Inspiritus Hope Tree program gives the gift of hope to children in foster care, refugee and immigrant families seeking a new life, and adults with developmental disabilities who may not otherwise receive a gift.

We are living in unprecedented times. Everyone has been impacted in some way by this year's worldwide pandemic. Christmas will look different this year. Whether it is different because family gatherings are scaled back or cancelled, or because of the recession’s financial impact, there will likely be fewer presents under the tree.

We understand that even if you have traditionally participated in our Hope Tree Christmas giving, you may not be able to this year, and that is ok. This year we are offering a virtual option for those who are able to give to those in need. All of the individuals and families we support have been impacted in some way by the pandemic. Some have experienced job loss or reductions in pay, students have had interrupted educations because they haven't been able to sustain virtual learning, and our adults with developmental disabilities and some of our children in foster care are STILL under shelter-in-place orders because of their compromised health conditions.

If you are able, please support this year's Hope Tree program by signing up to purchase a $25 gift card(s) and mailing them to Inspiritus P.O. Box 7829 Atlanta, GA 30357 by DECEMBER 16th.

You may also choose to purchase a coat. You can sign-up for both gift card and coat donations here. There you will also see instructions for coat drop-offs. Gift card donations will be used by Inspiritus staff to purchase coats for one of the children or adults that Inspiritus accompanies. Where coats are not needed, gift cards will be given to host home providers to purchase Christmas gifts for individuals with disabilities who live in their homes.

If you have questions, please reach out to Sarah Burke, our Community Engagement Coordinator at Sarah.Burke@weinspirit.org or 706-992-2421

Thank you for the meaningful ways you and your congregations live out your lives as people of faith. Inspiritus is blessed to partner with you as we accompany the most vulnerable among us on their journey from surviving to thriving.

Also, be sure to join us for #GivingTuesday - the Global Day of Giving on Tuesday, Dec 1, 2020.

We're proud to be a part of this global celebration of giving through GAGives. In this time of uncertainty, there's a fundamental truth that gives us hope - that together we can do extraordinary things.

Save the date and be sure to bookmark this link: https://www.gagives.org/organization/Inspiritus

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Zeta Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Hurricane Zeta: Day 6: Georgia Response Update

Day 6: Georgia Response Update

Our chainsaw crews have been on the ground since Sunday helping residents (many of whom can not afford high home insurance deductibles) recover from Hurricane Zeta. We've been working daily to cut trees, remove debris and tarp roofs for homeowners who need a little extra help.

Our volunteers are an inspiring group. They hail from places as far away as AZ, MA, MI, KY, and of course, GA. Our CEO, John Moeller, joined us this week to volunteer, too. John frequently joins our disaster relief responses, and we are so grateful for his help.

Homeowner, Starr Swims, pictured outside her home

John told us a wonderful story about two homeowners he met; Starr and Billy Swims. Starr and Billy were exhausted from having to deal with 14 downed trees on their property. One struck one side of the house, and another ripped the electrical box right off their house. They tried to remove some of the tree limbs themselves, but due to Billy's health problems, plus the amount of debris, it proved to be too much for them.

They were overjoyed when they learned from the Bartow EMA that help might be available through Inspiritus. Our dedicated volunteer crew showed up and immediately got down to work clearing all the trees and debris off their property. Starr and Billy were so touched by the hard work of our volunteers, Starr cooked up a delicious meal for our volunteers.

"Starr Swims made her signature dish for lunch - chicken and dumplings, corn bread and sweet tea. It was divine and a real treat for volunteers from Arizona and Massachusetts who were trying the meal for the first time. Mmmmm."

Inspiritus' disaster relief team has a small operations center in Cartersville, GA, and a new volunteer base in Marietta, GA, thanks to the kind generosity of AirBnB and McEachern Memorial UMC. Your donations at this stage are critical. Your help ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta will receive free roof tarping, chainsawing, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership.

We work in partnership with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief efforts on the ground in the Southeastern region.

This partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Inspiritus Disaster Response is made possible through partnerships with:

Our Hurricane Zeta Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Hurricane Zeta: Chainsawers On the Ground in Georgia

Chainsaw Volunteers on the Ground in Georgia

Hurricane Zeta swept quickly through Georgia last week with over 50 mph winds leaving downed trees, power lines, and damaged homes in its' wake.

Our chainsaw crews have been on the ground since Sunday helping residents (many of whom can not afford high home insurance deductibles) recover from this latest deadly storm.

Chainsaw crews and other heavy equipment operators are just some of our home heroes during a disaster. Here's an inspiring story about one of our volunteers:

Preston Mintz donated his time volunteering as a heavy equipment operator in Orange Beach after Hurricane Sally. After Preston returned to his home in North Carolina, he invited his church to donate to our disaster relief efforts. And donate they did. We just received $5,000 from the Mountain View Missionary Baptist Church in North Carolina to support disaster relief. Thank you, Preston, for being a Home Hero.

Inspiritus' disaster relief team has a small operations center in Cartersville, GA, and are preparing to setup a volunteer base camp at McEachern UMC in Cobb County. Your donations at this stage are critical. Your help ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta will receive free roof tarping, chainsawing, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership.

We work in partnership with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief efforts on the ground in the Southeastern region.

This partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Laura Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Hurricane Zeta: Rapid Response in Georgia

Hurricane Zeta: Rapid Response in Georgia

HURRICANE ZETA

Hurricane Zeta hit the Gulf Coast as a Category 2 hurricane on Wednesday, leaving over 2.5 million customers without power and at least 3 people dead.

Early this morning, Zeta swept through metro Atlanta and parts of NW Georgia with over 50 mph winds creating a wake of downed trees and power lines. The last time metro Atlanta was under such a threat was October 2018 as Hurricane Michael passed over the region. More than 1 million homes and businesses are currently without power (CNN).

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Inspiritus' disaster relief teams are currently assessing regions from metro Atlanta to parts of NW Georgia, and will be putting chainsaw teams to work (as early as tomorrow) to aid in this latest storm crisis clean-up.

We work in partnership with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief on the ground, as well.

This partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

Your donations at this stage are critical. Your help ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Zeta will receive free roof tarping, chainsawing, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Laura Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Week Five: Updates from our Sally Response

Hurricane Sally Response Update

HURRICANE SALLY

We've had so many wonderful volunteers show up in the past week to help hurricane survivors in Alabama. What started out as a two week response in Lake Charles, Louisiana, turned into a two month response now based in Orange Beach, Alabama. It's been an unprecedented hurricane season in the Gulf Coast. Volunteers have come in from all over to help...a few volunteers even drove all the way from Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina! Not enough can be said for these volunteers-they are true servant hearts that have helped those in need.

In South Alabama, we have completed 346 total volunteer days, or 1591.75 volunteer hours!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We're working closely with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief on the ground, as well.

The partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

Thank you for your donations. If you haven't given yet, please consider giving today. The need is still great here in Alabama, as there are not many other organizations here helping out on the ground.

Help at this stage ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Sally will receive free roof tarping, muck and gut services, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership. We will continue to share updates from the ground as our teams assist those impacted by Hurricane Sally. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Laura Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Day 34: Sally Response Going Strong

Day 34 on the Gulf Coast: Sally Response Going Strong

HURRICANE SALLY

We've had so many wonderful volunteers show up in the past week to help hurricane survivors in Alabama. We'd like to thank each and every one of you who are volunteering or donating to support this ministry. You are each heroes. Thank you for being God's hands.

In South Alabama, we have completed:

• 61 job requests

- 41 tree jobs

- 8 debris removals

- 6 muck & gut

- 6 roof tarping jobs

• 40 homes completed

• 12 homes are now ready for work

• 6 homes are underway now

"Helping hands are needed desperately in order to lift those survivors up and help them begin what will be a long road to recovery and some type of normalcy again. I know everyone is dealing with COVID, the economy, the election and multiple other problems but so are those survivors... on top of all they’ve worked their lives for being destroyed repeatedly."

- Sherry Buresh, Director of Disaster Relief Programs

This is Sherry's 70th response - a huge milestone in the disaster relief world. We're so grateful to have Sherry leading our staff and volunteer teams in this response.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We're working closely with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief on the ground, as well.

The partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

If you can't join us in person, you can still be one of our "Home Heroes" by fundraising for us-or donating. It's so quick & easy: start fundraising now and share your campaign within minutes to your family and friends.

Thank you for your donations. If you haven't given yet, please consider giving today.

Help at this stage ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Sally will receive free roof tarping, muck and gut services, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership. We will continue to share updates from the ground as our teams assist those impacted by Hurricane Sally. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Gratefully,

Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Laura Response is made possible through the above partnerships.

Day 29: A Testimonial from Alabama

Day 29: A Testimonial from South Alabama

“We didn’t have to worry about anything. Inspiritus came in and they were helpful, quiet, they took care of the roof, they took care of the inside, they took care of everything. Just like it was family coming in and helping family. It was just tremendous."

- Joyce Tolbert, Hurricane Sally Survivor

HURRICANE SALLY

Our disaster relief staff and volunteers are working under intense conditions. Now they're working under the threat of yet another hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast today.

Hurricane Delta is forecast to strike the Gulf Coast "literally less than 25 miles" from where Hurricane Laura made landfall six weeks ago (CNN). Delta is a Category 3 storm with sustained winds up to 115 mph.

We are so grateful for our tireless volunteers. We still have a huge need for volunteers in Alabama. Please join us!

Our sincerest thanks and gratitude go out to The City of Orange Beach for fuel, The Island Church for housing and staging, and The Rothrock Foundation for meals.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We're working closely with the Southeastern Synod of the ELCA to support communities most in need of our assistance. Gifts to the ELCA Southeastern Synod Disaster Response will be used to support disaster relief on the ground, as well.

The partnership between the Southeastern Synod and Inspiritus leverages the strengths and resources each bring to the table for the benefit of individuals and communities in need of hope and healing in the wake of a disaster.

To learn more about volunteering with this response, please register here.

Not only are we in the midst of COVID-19 and our Hurricane Sally response, now Hurricane Delta will be hitting the Gulf Coast today. Thank you for your donations. If you haven't given yet, please consider giving today. Your help during the early days of a disaster is critical.

Help at this stage ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Sally will receive free roof tarping, muck and gut services, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership. We will continue to share updates from the ground as our teams assist those impacted by Hurricane Sally. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Not only are we in the midst of COVID-19 and our Hurricane Sally response, now Tropical Storm Delta could hit the Gulf Coast as a hurricane this week. Thank you for your donations. If you haven't given yet, please consider giving today. Your help during the early days of a disaster is critical.

Help at this stage ensures unserved communities impacted by Hurricane Sally will receive free roof tarping, muck and gut services, debris removal, and spontaneous volunteer leadership. We will continue to share updates from the ground as our teams assist those impacted by Hurricane Sally. Through your generosity and support, we're bringing hope to the people who need it most.

Please join us in prayer for the volunteers and local residents along the Gulf Coast.

Gratefully,
Virginia Spencer
Vice President of Development
Inspiritus

Our Hurricane Laura Response is made possible through the above partnerships.