Afghan refugees, how you can help
The Bee’s special report, No Safe Place, chronicled the hardships faced by Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders and their families who have resettled in Sacramento. Many readers have asked how they can help. Here are some organizations to contact:
Veteran, Immigrant and Refugee Trauma Institute of Sacramento
Organized by Dr. Fahim Pirzada, an SIV holder
Accepting money or services
Send checks to: VIRTIS at 2740 Fulton Ave., Suite 204, Sacramento, CA 95821.
No One Left Behind
Organized by Mike Zeller, former Army intelligence officer, in Washington, D.C. Sacramento branch opens in September
https://www.facebook.com/Community-Alliance-for-Refugees-936184966463479
Email: Jason Gorey at jason@nooneleft.org
Sacramento Public Library
www.saclibrary.org/Services/Adult-Learning/Adult-Literacy
Help as ESL tutors
Casandra Issaka and Sabrina Rosengren at literacy@saclibrary.org or 916-264-5094
Opening Doors
www.openingdoorsinc.org/volunteer-with-refugees.php
Accepting donations; need new car seats, bike helmets for children and adults, clean storage units, new mattresses, bus passes and gift cards
World Relief
www.worldrelief.org and www.facebook.com/worldrelief
Partners with several churches:
Joy Justus, Church Mobilization Program manager, 916-581-0225
Bret Widman, pastor of River Life Covenant Church, bretwidman@riverlife.org
Mark Shetler, pastor at River City Christian church (formerly First Covenant), mshetler@rivercitychristian.org or 916-599-8422
Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services
www.sacramentofoodbank.org/refugee-resettlement
Rocio Gonzalez, refugee coordinator, 916-313-7604
The International Rescue Committee
https://www.rescue.org/united-states/sacramento-ca
Has resettled hundreds of Afghan SIVs
This story was originally published July 1, 2016 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Afghan refugees, how you can help."