In the Spotlight: IISTL Refugee Command Center and Afghan program

By Marisa Tesoro

IISTL has launched a Refugee Command Center and received support for an Afghan program to welcome and support new Afghan refugee arrivals

At the start of 2021, the International Institute received a few of new refugee arrivals. Literally. One in January, one in February and one in March. By the end of the summer, as the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan, that quickly changed.

IISTL received 55 new arrivals in August and a record 264 in November, with 159 of those refugees arriving in one week.

In light of these unprecedented, historic circumstances, it was clear they needed to a different approach to resettlement.

As they worked to fill open positions and manage the outpouring of generous community support, IISTL formed a Refugee Command Center in December to channel the energy of the community, collaborate with other service providers and better support new arrivals.

Together with Welcome Neighbor STL and Oasis International, they can pair volunteers with families and connect them to donations. They are also working with Islamic Foundation of St. Louis, which leads House of Goods, to help welcome and acclimate new Afghan arrivals.

This week at a press conference, they announced the launch of a major initiative to welcome more Afghan refugees to the St. Louis region.

The program will provide money to house Afghan families and open a community center, establish an Afghan Chamber of Commerce, create an Afghan newspaper, purchase 200 iPads and offer free use of indoor soccer fields for kids in an effort to resettle more refugees in the St. Louis region, said Jerry Schlichter, founder of the nonprofit Arch Grants, as reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The initiative also pays for a full-time Afghan resettlement liaison with the International Institute and will offer 10 grants for entrepreneurs. It also will pay for 10 refugees to attend coding classes with translators at the software development school Claim Academy, Schlichter said, according to Post-Dispatch reporting.

This fully funded program will begin immediately as many Afghans have already arrived through the Afghan Placement and Assistance program and more are expected to arrive as secondary migrants.

“We will be able to say to federal government, St. Louis is a place that has a program and a community base like no other city,” Schlichter said. “We will support you… and we’re doing it right now. We’re not waiting until everybody comes.”

If you’re looking to be a part of this work, you can check out IISTL’s volunteer opportunities here and job openings here.