Partnering in Support of Afghan Refugees

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WARD 6 NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Steve Kozachik
Council Member, Ward 6
Ward6@tucsonaz.gov
(520) 791-4601

Date: November 12, 2021

Partnering in Support of Afghan Refugees

The Tucson community has once again risen to the call for donations in support of refugees arriving from war-torn Afghanistan. The slow pace at which the federal government is metering out the families is such that your response with donations was overwhelming our ability to efficiently store and distribute the items.

Enter our partners from Habitat for Humanity.

T. Van-Hook and her team at Habitat already work tirelessly in the local refugee community. When I asked them to partner in managing donations, they didn’t hesitate in saying yes.

The Ward 6 office will continue to be a donation site for small items such as hygiene products, sunscreen, clothing, kid’s toys, cookware and dishes. We accept those items between 9am and noon, Monday through Friday. But we simply ran out of room for furniture and household goods such as microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, and crock pots. That’s where Habitat is partnering.

Habitat for Humanity is setting up a special Afghan Refugee fund at the HabiStore. Half of the sale price of any donations tagged for the Afghan relief work will be deposited into that fund. As Afghan families begin to arrive in larger numbers, they will have that fund to dip into if they are shopping at the HabiStore and run short of cash. While your furniture may not directly end up in the new home of one of the refugees, its value will be credited to Afghans as they shop to fulfill their own individual needs.

The Kaimas Foundation has generously agreed to offer a $5,000 matching gift to help get the fund started. Any money donated towards the Habitat Afghan fund will be matched up to $5,000. Kaimas has supported non-profits and communities in need throughout the world. Their Afghan matching donation is yet another demonstration of the compassion that guides their work.

If you have furniture and home good donations, please contact the HabiStore Donation Hotline at 520.230.5323. Specify that your donation is for the Afghan refugee work so they can tag it and credit the Afghan fund properly. You can either deliver them to the HabiStore, or they’ll come and pick up what you have.

I’m grateful for the work being done by the Islamic Center of Tucson, St. Mark’s Church, Catholic Community Services, Lutheran Social Services and the International Refugee Committee to help transition Afghan families into the community. The addition of this Habitat/Kaimas partnership is a big help in organizing furniture and home good donations. That added partnership was necessary because of the giving hearts that make up the Tucson community.

HabiStore – 935 W. Grant Road

Donation Hotline – 230.5323, specify your donation is in support of the Afghan Resettlement Fund.