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Since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August, the International Institute of St. Louis (IISTL) has been working to welcome Afghan refugees, SIV-holders, and SQ/SI parolees with pending applications for SIV status to the region. Due to various delays, the actual number of Afghans to relocate to the St. Louis area had been fairly small until last week, during which over 60 Afghans arrived. Hundreds more are expected to reach St. Louis over the course of the next few months.
In a November 16 Twitter update, IISTL remarked, “Resettlement in full gear,” alongside a photo of volunteers loading furniture and supplies into a truck that will be used to set up a home for an Afghan family of eight.
To meet the needs of the new Afghan refugees relocating to the region, IISTL staff and volunteers have expressed a continued need for employees, volunteers, donations, and other resources. Details on each of these needs are available below, as well as on the IISTL website.
Job openings at IISTL include the following positions: resettlement housing coordinator, intake and assessment specialists, housing support specialist, benefits specialist, Afghan program services coordinator, Missouri resource coordinator, and more. In filling these roles, the organization will be better equipped to effectively provide services and resources for those arriving in the region.
Volunteer opportunities are plentiful. People can be matched with a role after completing an online interest form and communicating with IISTL staff members, as well as being at least 18 years old, committing to three months of volunteer service, and passing a criminal background check. In addition to obvious needs involving sorting donations and distributing resources to homes for refugees, volunteers are needed in the economic development department, the education department, and the youth program. Group volunteers can take on projects dealing with sponsoring field trips, hosting a community engagement potluck, in-kind drive sponsors, and administrative and clean-up support.
Monetary donations can be made online or sent through the mail, and donors can specifically request for their donation to be used where it is most needed or designate the funds to emergency refugee assistance in the St. Louis region and Southwest Missouri. For donors interested in giving more frequently, the Neighborhood of Nations membership is IISTL’s monthly giving program with donation memberships ranging from $10–$100 per month, or a different chosen amount.
Because the donation of items exceeded expectations, IISTL has temporarily postponed the continuation of donation drop-offs, unless an appointment has been specifically approved and scheduled with staff. The focus of the organization and its volunteers has shifted to sorting and distributing the already donated items filling up space on- and off-site. There is still a continued need for grocery gift cards (Visa, Aldi, Schnucks, Target, Walmart, Jay’s International, gas cards, etc.) for IISTL’s clients and arriving individuals and families. These cards can be mailed to IISTL.
