Help Afghan Refugee Family Resettle in Chicago

We are a group of friends, family, and neighbors helping a wonderful Afghan refugee family of five resettle in the Chicago area and successfully start a new life.

Abdul worked as a translator and logistics coordinator for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for 15+ years and because of his service is a Special Immigrant Visa applicant. When Afghanistan’s government collapsed in August 2021, Abdul’s life and the lives of his wife and their three young children were threatened because of Abdul’s work with our military. With the help of many people, including the U.S. military, Abdul and has family made it to the Kabul airport and were evacuated on one of those packed U.S. military cargo planes you saw on the news three days after the Taliban took over Kabul. The family traveled, without shoes and only the clothes they were wearing, for over a week from Kabul to Qatar to the Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Washington, D.C. They were then sent to a U.S. army base for several weeks before arriving in Chicago at the end of October. The last few months have been understandably traumatizing for the family but they are happy to be alive and grateful for the opportunity to start over. Abdul speaks English well and luckily already found a job. Unfortunately, he is waiting for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office to issue his employment authorization documents, which we understand can take up to six months because the office is overwhelmed and behind given the sudden influx of refugees resettling in the country. The banks in Afghanistan failed so the family does not have access to any money saved before they arrived. The family’s resettlement agency is covering the first three months of rent and then they will be on their own.

100% of the funds donated to this campaign will be used to help the family resettle in Chicago. Their requests range from blankets to new underwear to kitchenware to slime kits for the kids so any amount donated will be used and appreciated. Thank you for your support.