Hi! My name is Lizette. For almost one year now, two Peace Corps employee colleagues and I have been support advocates for an Afghan family of 9, who came to the US to flee the Taliban as guests of the US. We volunteer through the immigrant and Refugee Outreach Center. It’s not been an easy transition for them, but they have worked hard to maintain their strength as a family, to cook healthy meals, to see doctors and dentists as needed, and to keep all 7 children in school. My friends and I make and take them to appointments, help them navigate the world of paperwork and access, teach them English, and connect them to resources. We held one fundraiser for them when they first came to the DC area in December, and the response was amazing! But now the family is facing a new challenge: their rent support through IRC has ended, and although Mr. E has a job, it hasn’t been enough to cover rent and utilities and the groceries that their food stamps don’t cover. Now they’ve fallen behind and have not been able to pay rent, we just discovered, for the past 5 months.

We have applied for rent relief on their behalf, but the demand for those funds is high. Even if they are accepted, they might not get enough to pay their unpaid rent. So, we’re asking for help! Please give a little only if you can. Although a very small % goes to overhead for Gofundme, which is a great organization, we assure you that 97% will go directly to keeping this kind and courageous family from being evicted. Thanks for your support!