The Afghan Support Center is here to help Afghan families and individuals who the recent crisis in Afghanistan has displaced.
According to the State Department, more than 122,000 Afghan citizens were evacuated to the United States of America.
since January 2022, hundreds of Afghan citizens have crossed the Southern border to find safe homes in the United States.
The lack of cultural knowledge and English language skills are two of the main problems faced by Afghan refugees in the United States.
USCIS is hosting an Afghan Support Center from June 21-24-2023 in Sacramento from 8:00 am- 8:00 pm Resettlement agencies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies will be at this center to help Afghan Refugees on with:
- Case Management: can help you with everything from finding housing and employment to enrolling your children in school.
- Legal Assistance: can help you navigate the immigration system.
- Mental Health Services: offer counseling and support groups to help you cope with the trauma of displacement.
- Language Classes: Enroll in English language classes to help you communicate with your new community.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
Kauser News was onsite for the first day of the event and interviewed an Afghan refugee who came to receive support. He said he has been in Sacramento for 9months it has been very hard to get accurate information and find help. “It was hard to get in touch with organizations or get an appointment with them. In 2 hours, the Afghan Support Center helped me with all my questions and has helped me and my wife get enrolled in English classes and health support programs that can help with PTSD.”
Kauser News Agency Interviewed Mis. Hila Popal from Global Emergency Response and Assistance California (GERA).
Amazon is also hosting a table and inviting refugees to apply for jobs through their Welcome Door program, which offers special benefits for refugees and asylees.
The Sacramento County Division of Behavioral Health Services table is one of the most important for refugees to visit. Be sure to stop by and learn more about their services.
Refugee Career Pathway is run by Los Rios Community Colleges. Los Rios Community College is also at the Afghan Support Center. They run the Refugee Career Pathways program. According to their brochure, they “help you with Vocational ESL, applying for college financial aid, understanding the education system, and job searches.
An Afghan refugee who was visiting their table, said, “Many Afghans have excellent skills and experience in Administration and Technology but don’t know how to get into those kinds of jobs in the U.S.” This is one of the things that the Refugee Career Pathway program can help with.
REDA started as a group of volunteers providing service to refugees. The need for a centralized effort became clear as the number of refugee families increased in the Sacramento area and the demand for assistance grew. As a result, REDA was founded in 2017 and opened an official service center:
a place that refugees and their families can visit to find staff that speaks their language and shares their culture – a place that creates a bridge to already existing resources in the community. It is a place where there is no hesitation to ask questions about the difference in life here and how to adjust.
Kauser News Agency will Cover the Welcome to the Afghan Support Center Event more articles will be out this week.
