Join our founder Kathie O’Callaghan and the founder of Miry’s List, Miry Whitehill, along with network member Freshta Taeb for three brief talks on ways to support our Afghan neighbors!

Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our new neighbors in Westchester. For those interested in learning more about how to advocate for affordable housing, there is a 3-part webinar series - register here:

bit.ly/westchesterhousing

On May 5, the third part of the webinar series will be on the steps the government and activists can take to address the housing crisis. It will be hosted by Abe Baker-Butler and panelists will include:

Vanessa Agudelo - Councilmember - City of Peekskill

Rebecca Garrard - Campaign Manager for Housing Justice, Citizen Action of NY

Lisa Burton – Office of County Legislator Damon Maher

Thehbia Hiwot - President of the Office of Finance and Development, NYS HOUSING TRUST FUND CORPORATION

Spring Cleaning? Save Those Winter Coats and Boots!

Hearts & Homes for Refugees and Neighbors for Refugees collect and distribute winter coats and boots to over 400 refugees every year. This will happen again in October - if you are spring cleaning, please save those warm coats and boots (for adults and children) for our drive!

Remember, items must be in *good* condition, clean and free of rips or tears. 

If you are unable to hold onto the items until October, please put them in a clean garbage bag, tie it closed and label the bag “winter coats/boots”, and bring them to us on our contactless collection day!

WHEN: Saturday May 1

TIME: 10am - 3pm

WHERE: 640 South Fulton Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550

To volunteer on May 1, or to let us know if you plan to bring items either in May or October, please see our Coat & Boot Collection Sign-Up.

For information contact: amy@heartsandhomesforrefugees.org or info@heartsandhomesforrefugees.org

914.393.0776

Please join us for a Zoom meeting on April 29 at 7 PM, to learn more about a volunteer opportunity to help streamline Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) applications for resettlement from the comfort of your home.

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZIlceGvrDorH9NUoXGyU...

The Iraqi SIV program has been closed, leaving thousands of our allies at risk. To help more Afghans reach safety here in the U.S., Hearts & Homes is calling for volunteers to support the processing of SIV requests/applications for visas.

We are partnering with our friends at Keeping Our Promise, which has been assisting SIVs with their cases and resettling new SIV families. Each case differs, but the most frequent need is locating former supervisors who can vouch for the SIV and his/her work on behalf of our troops. It is a desk assignment, entailing emails, paperwork and phone calls.

The time commitment is estimated to be 3-6 hours for one week, and then only 1-2 hours a month.

Let’s meet our newest Representatives and introduce them to the people who are part of the welcoming movement in and around Westchester County.

 We specifically look forward to talking about the growing focus from this Administration and others on Community Sponsorship, in all its forms.  

We are pleased to also be joined by:

George Latimer, Westchester County Executive, has been a stalwart supporter of welcoming new Americans in our communities.

Chris George, Executive Director of IRIS (Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services), the national leader in Community Sponsorship.

Let's make sure our Representatives know our commitment to refugees and the strength of the welcoming movement here in Westchester County.



Register now! https://bit.ly/39poayo

Held in Arabic, this class will be all about maternal and prenatal health!

Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our new neighbors in Westchester. For those interested in learning more about how to advocate for affordable housing, there is a 3-part webinar series - register here:

bit.ly/westchesterhousing

On April 21, the second part of the webinar series will be on solutions to the housing crisis. It will be hosted by Joan Grangenois-Thomas, Trustee, Village of Port Chester, New York and panelists will include:
Cea Weaver - Campaign Coordinator, Housing Justice for All

Rich Nightingale, CEO Westhab

William G. Balter - Principal, Wilder Balter Partners Inc.
James Rausse, AICP, WEDG - Director, Planning & Development Office of the Bronx Borough President

Amy Robertson of Hearts & Homes for Refugees is pleased to join Neighbors for Refugees for their 'Third Thursday' advocacy event this month!

This month we advocate for the SIVs, Afghan and Iraqi nationals with Special Immigrant Visa status for their service with American troops (despite great danger to themselves and their families). Thousands of SIVs remain in peril because the United States is not keeping their promise to relocate them to the United States.

This month’s action will be held on Thursday April 15. Optional Zoom introduction will be at 7:00 PM, and special guest Amy Robertson will share more about Hearts & Homes' efforts for SIVs and additional ways to help!

The Zoom link, instructions, and post card pickup location provided upon registration. Keep in mind the brief meeting is optional, but does provide an opportunity to meet each other and have Q&A.

REGISTER FOR APRIL 15 ACTION HERE: https://bit.ly/2Qm1Qiz

Held in Arabic, this class focuses on the pandemic, the vaccine, and navigating the pediatric healthcare system.

Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our new neighbors in Westchester. For those interested in learning more about how to advocate for affordable housing, there is a 3-part webinar series - register here:

bit.ly/westchesterhousing

On April 7, the first webinar of the series will be on the history of our housing crisis and what has inhibited fair and affordable housing from being built and fully integrated into the county.

It will be hosted by Juanita Lewis, Hudson Valley Organizing Director, Community Voices Heard and panelists include:

David Schwartz - Vice-Chair, Working Families Party - Westchester/Putnam Chapter

Norma Drummond - Commissioner, Westchester County Department of Planning

Joe Czajka - Senior Vice-President - Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress

Please join us Thursday, April 1 to watch and discuss the new CBS sitcom, United States of Al.

The story is about an Afghan interpreter who comes to the U.S. and is welcomed by an ex-Marine with whom he worked in Afghanistan.

These allies are granted Special Immigration Visas, or SIVs, to enter the U.S. because of their service, and we have many SIV holders here in Westchester. We are all very curious to see how this show portrays the experience! Will it be authentic? Will it help raise awareness about the plight of SIVs?

After watching the premiere, we will host a discussion forum including SIV holders

Chris Purdy of Veterans for American Ideals and our own Ambassador, Reshad Ahmadi will be sharing updates and insights on the SIV program.

Register here: https://bit.ly/39zdNbD

Join Network 20/20 for their Innovators Awards in Global Affairs and Benefit taking place on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 PM.

Network 20/20 is a global community committed to the understanding of, and, engagement in, foreign policy issues that affect us all. Both Hearts & Homes for Refugees, and Network 20/20 share the belief that communication, education and directed action can pave the way toward international justice, understanding and safety.

To learn more or register, please visit bit.ly/IABenefit

On March 17, our president & founder Kathie O’Callaghan, has been asked to speak on a panel for the sixty-fifth session of the UN Women’s Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). CSW is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Along with four others, she will speak on a panel, organized by Writers and Journalists Foundation in New York, about the issue of economic and social inclusion of refugee women through language classes. The session that she is participating in, is one of 700 others over the course of several days.  We are honored that Kathie was chosen to participate as someone  who has insight into this very relevant topic for refugees.

IMMIGRATION 101 Training 

March 15, 2021  |  2:00 PM – 3:30 PM 

Catholic Charities Immigration and Refugee Services is hosting an introduction to immigration law training for social workers, case managers, educators, advocates, and others that work with the immigrant community in the Hudson Valley. Join to learn about: 

-U.S. Immigration System

-Immigration Court

-Family-Based Form of Relief

-Humanitarian Relief (e.g. Asylum, SIJS, VAWA, U & T Visas)

-Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

-Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

-Immigration Updates & the New Administration

-Making Sense of Immigration Documents

-Benefits & Resources Available to Immigrants

-Advocacy Resources

Join on Zoom: http://fordham.zoom.us/j/83948647268  |  Meeting ID: 839 4864 7268

Join by phone: (646) 558-8656 (when prompted, enter 83948647268#)

Please join us for a workshop in Dari on taking care of your emotional and mental wellbeing, and supporting your loved ones with theirs!

Sponsored by Hearts & Homes for Refugees, Corner Counseling and Islamic Relief USA

Register in advance for this meeting!