We are thrilled to introduce the new JFCS Welcome Team Co-Sponsorship program for volunteers and refugee families. This initiative will significantly impact the lives of newcomer families.

Information Sessions:
JFCS is holding Zoom information sessions on the third Wednesday of each month from  6:00-7:30 pm.

Please join us to learn more about the program and share this information with others you think might be interested as well.

Who will you be partnered with? We have many families in our arrivals pipeline. Newcomer arrivals scheduled to arrive include families from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Guatemala, Ethiopia, El Salvador, and Iran.

How are Co-Sponsor Welcome Teams Different than Welcome Circles?
Being a JFCS Welcome Team volunteer is a much lighter lift than being part of a private sponsorship volunteer group. HIAS Welcome Circles and Welcome Corps are examples of Private Sponsorship. JFCS Welcome Teams are Co-Sponsorship, which is different in several significant ways:

The JFCS Co-Sponsor program provides robust support:

• A Housing Navigator assists in finding permanent housing for new families.
• Case Managers handle all administrative core services such as benefits enrollment, setting up refugee health assessments, completing AR-11s, resolving any issues related to Social Security cards, EADs, I-94s, and benefits, conducting home visits, provide referrals to immigration services as needed
• A Volunteer Coordinator manages the JFCS Co-Sponsorship program acting as the Welcome Team liaison, as well as our Heart to Home furniture warehouse for newcomers.

As a Welcome Team volunteer, you will have an essential role in helping newcomer families by:

• Greeting new arrivals at the airport
• Providing an initial hot meal and groceries upon arrival
• Providing Cultural Orientation and assisting newcomers to adapt to American culture, grocery stores, public transportation, and more
• Preparing and furnishing (from JFCS warehouse) apartments for arriving families
• Enrolling children in public schools
• Assisting with job search efforts, resume preparation, and more (in collaboration with Case Managers)
• Providing driving lessons and DMV assistance
• Enrolling adults in ESL classes

To learn more, please fill out this form for more information and sign up for one of the Information Session dates or indicate your availability at a different time.