Editor’s note: This press release was provided by Hearts & Homes for Refugees. The Pelham Examiner publishes press releases in the form received as a service to the community.

NEW YORK / New Jersey — Hearts & Homes for Refugees (HHR) has announced that it is a member of the newly formed New York/New Jersey Ukraine Sponsor Support Consortium recently awarded a $350,000 grant from the Welcome Fund, in partnership with GoFundMe.org.

The NY/NJ Consortium is one of five country-wide ‘Sponsor Hubs.’ The hub is a coalition of community-based immigrant and refugee leader organizations that will work together to strengthen local infrastructure to support the sponsorship of Ukrainian newcomers.

In addition to Hearts & Homes for Refugees, four other members of the Consortium––the Immigrant Advocates Response Collaborative, the Ukraine Immigration Task Force, Marks JCH of Bensonhurst, and New Jersey Realtors United for Ukrainian Refugees––have broad experience assisting refugees in rebuilding their lives. Their collective experience, resources, best practices, and assistance with the financial lift, will ease the burden on sponsors committed to helping those forced to flee their homeland.

HHR’s role in the consortium will be to provide guidance to current sponsors and help develop new sponsor support for some of the 14,000 Ukrainians who have arrived to the New York and northern New Jersey area. Consortium members have strong connections to the Ukrainian-American community and will provide direct social services ranging from pro bono legal advice to housing assistance, while building a community of support among sponsors.

Hearts & Homes for Refugees Founder and President Kathie O’Callaghan says, “HHR brings to the Consortium seven years of inspiring, educating, equipping and mentoring volunteers to resettle refugees. The strength of our work is volunteer passion and collaborative partnerships. We are excited to leverage the experiences, resources and best practices of each of these organizations to assist Ukrainians and those that are sponsoring them.”

“We are so proud and excited to support these incredible organizations who are helping create a national movement of welcome,” said Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash. “Right now, sponsorship is the most impactful way Americans can help welcome newcomers, but it can be complex. That’s why it’s so important to make sure the frontline organizations supporting sponsorship have the resources they need to advance and expand their work.”

This is the second grant awarded to HHR by the Welcome Fund, a project of Welcome.US, to leverage philanthropic support so that people fleeing their homelands are connected to welcoming communities across the United States. The Welcome Fund has disbursed more than $17 million to 185 organizations directly welcoming newcomers since its launch in September 2021.

About Hearts & Homes for Refugees

Hearts & Homes for Refugees is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that resettles refugees in our communities and inspires, educates and equips others to do the same. We harness the power of volunteers and mobilize groups to support holistic refugee resettlement. Community sponsors empower refugees to rebuild their lives and improve the long-term outcomes for our new neighbors. Since 2016 we have been building and leading a network of neighbors, community organizations, and faith, student and civic groups to advocate for refugees and provide safe and inclusive communities.

To learn more, please visit Hearts & Homes for Refugees.