Championing the Power and Potential of ‘Natural Helpers’: A Guide
Natural Helpers programs recognize the crucial role immigrant and refugee leaders fulfill as informal “helpers’’ in their communities by formalizing, supporting, and expanding their capacity for civic leadership. This guide presents promising practices from interviews with Natural Helpers program coordinators and lessons learned from the Natural Helpers communities of practice convened by Welcoming America. Three…
Read MoreStrategies for Supporting Newcomer and Immigrant Families Navigating the School System
As the new school year in the U.S. begins in the coming months, it is critical to support newcomer and immigrant families in navigating the school system. We hosted a webinar in partnership with, with the Institute for Educational Leadership on July 18, where we shared strategies and resources to best support immigrant families. Our…
Read MoreAdvancing Welcoming through Community Foundations
Recorded on April 13, 2023. Welcoming America, in partnership with CFLeads, explores the ways in which communities can advance welcoming through community foundations. Against increasing levels of global migration, demographic change, and efforts to advance equity and inclusion, community foundations have an interest in — and responsibility to — invest in efforts to create more…
Read MoreCommunity Sponsorship: Creating Communities of Welcome
Recorded on April 11, 2023. In partnership with Community Sponsorship Hub, this webinar discussed community sponsorship in the United States. We identified the broad ecosystem, programs, and actors, as well as how the experiences of these programs have supported other emergency response programs, and the difference between community sponsorship and other forms of sponsorship. Speakers:…
Read MoreProtecting Immigrant Communities from Scams: How to Spot, Avoid, and Report Fraud
During this webinar, representatives of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, discussed scams against immigrants and provided information and resources to fight scams and protect people’s money and personal information. This webinar was recorded on March 23, 2023.
Read MoreAchieving the Certified Welcoming Designation Under the Welcoming Standard 2.0
This guide outlines the second iteration of the Certified Welcoming program and the Welcoming Standard criteria that communities must meet to earn the designation of Certified Welcoming. Certified Welcoming is a formal designation for local governments that have created policies and programs reflecting their values and commitment to immigrant inclusion. This innovative program assesses local…
Read MoreAdvancing Welcoming through Community Foundations
Against growing levels of global migration, demographic change, and efforts to advance equity and inclusion, community foundations have an interest in — and responsibility to — invest in efforts to create more welcoming local communities. This whitepaper, “Advancing Welcoming through Community Foundations,” explores the potential for greater coordination, collaboration, and investment from community foundations in advancing the vital work of welcoming newcomers into U.S. communities. It also explores the potential of linking the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations to the Welcoming Standard as a potential blueprint for community foundations interested in contributing to global collective impact in advancing equity, belonging, and inclusion.
Read MoreGetting Started with Welcoming (webinar series)
This two part webinar series will introduce you to the what, why, and how of welcoming. Whether your community is responding to Afghan airlifts, looking to attract a new plant to town, or launching a diversity initiative, the work begins with connecting the people and resources in your community. We call this work building welcoming…
Read MoreDACA: Updates and Strategies
Interested in learning about the new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act (DACA) ruling, the policy’s future, and how to support Dreamers? watch this timely webinar featuring staff attorneys from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. The discussion provides a comprehensive update on DACA and a breakdown of recent rulings on the policy. Speakers: Krsna Avila,…
Read MoreAdvancing a Welcoming Infrastructure for Humanitarian Relief
As individuals and organizations in localities across the globe mobilize to support those displaced by war, conflict, and climate disasters, meeting the immediate needs is critical. At the same time, building the infrastructure needed to support and engage migrants and non-migrants in the long term is essential to ensuring belonging for all lasts beyond these…
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