WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TRULY WELCOME SOMEONE?

In large parts of the world, it starts with a warm cup of chai. The word chai literally means “tea.” But culturally it means so much more. Chai symbolizes friendship, warmth, hospitality and goodwill. For family members forced -by extremists- to flee their home, to live in exile and limbo, to be separated from their loved ones, we want “chai” to be synonymous with family reunification, safety, love, and new beginnings.

WE are a group of ten Ann Arbor residents who have gotten to know a resettled refugee family longing to bring two exiled family members to join them in Ann Arbor. The family has been separated for several years and those in exile remain in danger.

We need your help to reunite this family as quickly as possible.

Thanks to WELCOME CORPS, a new program through the US State Department that facilitates private sponsorship of qualified refugees, we formed a Private Sponsorship Group called A2 CHAI. With training from WELCOME CORPS, we are eager to welcome these two newcomers and help them become self-sufficient members of our community.

A2 CHAI must raise $2,425 per refugee as part of our sponsorship commitment. Therefore we need at least $4,850. As soon as we raise 60%, we can file our application and start the process of reuniting this family. All of the money raised will be used to offset the costs of addressing the refugees’ very real needs upon arrival. These include: housing, housing supplies, transportation, dental, medical, education, documentation support, etc. All funds will remain in the US; no money will be sent overseas.

So where does chai come in?

Being able to demonstrate community support for our efforts helps to substantiate our case that Ann Arbor is a place of welcome and opportunity for refugee families. As we assist two family members in adapting to a new culture, we will welcome them with a warm cup of chai brimming with all the hope and good intention that a friendly cup of tea can symbolize.

Your donation will help reunite this particular family. Our lives have been enriched from our connection with the members of this family and we believe their ongoing contribution to our community enriches us all.

We thank you in advance for understanding that we cannot share names or photos of family members, or even the country of origin and exile, for their safety. The members of A2 CHAI thank you for your support and we will provide you with progress updates along the way! Thank You for your generosity!!

We regret that currently we are not able to offer receipts for charitable tax donations. A2 CHAI is not a 501(C)3). We are a formal Private Sponsorship Group through Welcome Corps.

FYI: WELCOME CORPS was inspired by the remarkable success of Canada’s Private Sponsorship of Refugees program which became a model for countries around the world. The success of Canada’s program was due to the immense contributions and dedications of everyday Canadians. As everyday Americans, we want to show the world that America is a welcoming place. For more information about this program, please visit the Welcome Corps website .