What we ask of all sponsors:

• Choose a liaison to work directly with the Refugee Program and to keep all members of your congregation or group informed.
• With staff and interpreter, meet the family at the airport.
• Provide their first hot meal.
• Provide household furnishings (as you are able)
• Keep in weekly contact with the case manager, for three months and every two weeks for the following month.
• Meet with the family once a week for the first three months of resettlement, and then at least twice a week for the next month.
• Have a “closing” with the family at the end of four months.

If sponsors can, we also ask for help with:

• Food for the first 30 days.
• Clothing for the family, especially outerwear, shoes and new socks and underwear.
• Assistance teaching things like using the kitchen, grocery shopping, American cleaning.
• Ideas for possible employment.
• Transportation to appointments.

What to do while waiting for the family to arrive:

• If you are a congregation reflects and pray on your decision to sponsor.
• Educate your congregation or group about the political circumstances, history and culture of the families you are hoping to assist.
• Start gathering household goods.
• Decide which of the above tasks your group or congregation will be responsible for and choose how and who will coordinate the work to be done.
• When there is an arrival date, finalize the sponsorship agreement, signing the appropriate forms with the InterFaith Works office.