IRIS Collaborative

COLLABORATION WITH IRIS TO SUPPORT AFGHAN EVACUEES

Now, as our nation is facing a new challenge, SAWA is pivoting to assist in the resettlement of about one hundred Afghan families who are expected to arrive in the Greater Hartford area in the upcoming months. Fortunately, IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services), based in New Haven, has opened a small local office in Hartford to resettle newly-arrived refugees from Afghanistan and other countries. IRIS needs help finding local volunteer talent, and SAWA is working to connect IRIS with Greater Hartford volunteers who are eager to contribute to the Afghan resettlement effort.

How You Can Help

Have you been seeing the news and wondering how you can help to resettle newly-arrived Afghan and other families coming to Greater Hartford this year? If you are an interested Greater Hartford individual or group, you can apply directly now to IRIS through these links below.

1) Register to volunteer as an individual with IRIS: https://irisct.org/volunteer/

2) Register to create a co-sponsorship group within your community: https://irisct.org/communitycosponsorship/

To learn more about the local volunteer resettlement experience in Greater Hartford, email SAWA at sawatogether2020@gmail.com.

You can find more details, ask questions, and connect with other like-minded volunteers. You may also be interested in our ongoing virtual informational sessions with Q & A on a variety of topics. SAWA collaborates with enthusiastic community members who know the ropes as well as those who are new to volunteering.

SAWA stands ready to share our five years of learned expertise, to find specialized resources within our local community, and to recommend best practices for this important Afghan resettlement. We are working with established resettlement groups and are helping IRIS to create new co-sponsorship groups. The arriving families from Afghanistan and other countries will need additional support within our local Greater Hartford communities to get settled, find employment, and acclimate - it takes a village!