How to help refugees around Atlanta and beyond

One person is forcibly displaced from their homes due to conflict, persecution or natural disaster every two seconds, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

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"We are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record," the agency's official website states.

On June 20, the world commemorates World Refugee Day to show solidarity with the globe’s refugees. The holiday is the brainchild of the UNCHR, which launched the #WithRefugees petition in June 2016 to urge governments to work together and do their part to help.

About the world’s refugees

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

According to the agency, approximately 70.8 million people were forcibly displaced by the end of 2019, an increase of 2.3 million people over the previous year. That number includes 25.9 million refugees, 41.3 million individuals internally displaced and 3.5 million seeking asylum.

In fact, 1 in every 108 people globally is either an asylum-seeker, internally displaced or a refugee.

More than half of the 25.9 million refugees are under age 18. Millions more are stateless people, individuals who have been denied a nationality and access to education, healthcare, freedom and other basic rights.

Turkey, Pakistan, Uganda, Sudan and Germany are the top refugee-hosting countries as of June 2019.

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While the United States has historically led the way with global refugee resettlement, in January 2017, President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning entry to individuals from countries deemed high-risk, including some of the world’s largest producers of refugees, from entering the U.S.

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The number of Syrian refugees allowed into the U.S. in fiscal 2016 was 12,587. In fiscal 2018, the country admitted 62. The Syrian conflict has produced more refugees — over 13 million — than any other conflict. It is currently in its eighth year of war.

“In the midst of the world’s worst refugee crisis since World War II, the US is on pace to resettle roughly 21,000 refugees in 2018. According to State Department data, which measures in fiscal years (October to September), that would be the lowest since 1977,” GlobalCitizen.com reported.

How to help refugees in Atlanta

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Credit: Alyssa Pointer

Georgia is among the top 10 states for refugee resettlement, but numbers of new arrivals have declined in recent years. Data from the federal Refugee Processing Center, which is part of the State Department, found only 755 refugees have arrived in the state as of May 2019. Compare that to the nearly 1,000 in the last three months of 2016.

Volunteer opportunities

Friends of Refugees, a Clarkston-based Christian Community Development Organization aimed at empowering refugees through employment, education and well-being, offers volunteer orientations twice a month, usually the second Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and on the last Tuesday of the month from 6-8:30 p.m. Learn more at friendsofrefugees.com. Opportunities include:

Volunteer instructions at friendsofrefugees.com.

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The International Rescue Committee in Atlanta works with government bodies, local volunteers and civil society actors to help refugees "translate their past experiences into assets that are valuable to their new communities." Opportunities include:

Volunteer instructions at rescue.org.

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New American Pathways in Atlanta ensures that refugees can contribute their skills to "strengthen the American workforce and help Georgia thrive." The organization offers several dates and times of orientations for interested volunteers. Opportunities include:

Volunteer instructions at newamericanpathways.org.

Catholic Charities Atlanta helps local refugees achieve economic and social self-sufficiency within their first six months in the country.Opportunities include:

Volunteer instructions at catholicharitiesatlanta.org.

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World Relief Atlanta helps refugees rebuild their lives through resettlement services, employment services and immigrant legal services. Volunteers are required to join orientation beforehand. Opportunities include:

Volunteer instructions at worldreliefatlanta.org.

Internships

Make monetary donations

Make non-cash donations

Support refugee businesses or businesses employing local refugees.

Have more ways to help local refugees? Let us know in the comments.

Learn more about refugees at unrefugees.org.