Upcoming Events
Check our calendar for upcoming events and subscribe to our monthly newsletters at the bottom of the page to STAY CONNECTED and help amplify messages of welcoming!
Fall Family Picnic
September 8, 2024 @12-3pm
National Welcoming Week is a time to come together to celebrate our strengths and differences and recognize that we’re at our best when We’re All In for Community Sponsorship. Hearts & Homes for Refugees is proud to bring together those who have been welcomed with the welcomers in our communities at our 5th Annual Fall Family Picnic.
With the theme of We’re All In, we celebrate the nationwide growth of Community Sponsorship to welcome more refugees.
When: Sunday, September 8, 12pm-3pm
Where: Ridge Road Park, Pavilion 3, Hartsdale
Come meet and mingle over food, music, activities for kids, plus plenty of community fun and friendship.
In the spirit of our shared immigrant history, we invite those who would like to bring a dish to choose something that reflects their heritage. Please include a notecard with the name of the dish and any allergens.
The picnic will be held rain or shine. Please help us plan by telling us if you are able to come and how many will attend.
RSVP here: https://forms.gle/vhagMq9A4pz9qmEL8
We look forward to seeing you there!
Past Events
Navigating Self-Sufficiency Challenges Webinar
January 31, 2:00-3:00PM EST
Join Refugee Welcome’s Collective for their Navigating Self-Sufficiency Challenges Webinar on Wednesday, January 31 from 2:00-3:00pm EST. Participants will gain understanding, confidence and strategies for navigating self-sufficiency with clients, volunteers and staff. Register here.
Fall Family Picnic
September 10, 2023 @12-4pm
Join us on Sunday, September 10 for our annual Fall Family Picnic!
The event will be held during #WelcomingWeek2023 and will be a great opportunity to connect with our new neighbors and other volunteers. There will be food, music and activities for kids, plus plenty of community fun and friendship.
RSVP here. We look forward to seeing you there!
TPS/Parole EAD Hybrid Clinic
April 20, 5-8:00pm ET
Register for the upcoming TPS/Parole EAD Hybrid Clinic being offered by HIAS and the Office of New Americans!
The remote clinic will be held Thursday, April 20th from 5:00-8:00pm ET. Ukrainians who need assistance with registering for TPS or filing for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) – either through TPS or humanitarian parole – may sign up.
Register here: https://naf.salsalabs.org/2023TPSClinics/index.html
AMWA’s "Breaking of the Fast"
April 5, 6:45pm
Join AMWA for "Breaking of the Fast" Iftar/Dinner program on Wednesday, April 5th. Experience Iftar at a local masjid and learning about the medical and health benefits of fasting.
The program will run from 6:45-8:00pm at the UWMS Community Center (600 Bear Ridge Rd., Pleasantville). Bring your neighbors, friends, co-workers, teacher and classmates – Open to ALL.
There will be limiting seating – please register here.
“Returning” Solo Art Exhibition by Carol Perron Sommerfield
March 18 - April 29, 2023
Join us at the solo exhibition by local artist, Carol Sommerfield, to view paintings in support of local nonprofits, including Hearts & Homes for Refugees! The exhibition is running now through April 29 at the Greenburgh Public Library.
Proceeds from ten selected paintings will go directly to Hearts & Homes for Refugees. Paintings can be viewed online or in the gallery, and sales are first come first serve.
To learn more about the exhibit and view the paintings, please visit her website. Paintings to benefit HHR can be found under “The Housing” section.
Sales are made directly through Carol: email carol.sommerfield@gmail.comto purchase a painting, and you will receive instructions on writing the checks to the beneficiaries.
AMWA’s 20th Anniversary Celebration
December 4, 4:00pm
Please save the date for AMWA's 20th anniversary celebration! The December 4th event will be honoring Hearts & Homes for Refugees. We hope to see you there.
Community Wardrobe: Clothing Donation and Volunteer Dates
October 14 - November 6, 2022
With the cold weather quickly approaching, we would like to provide winter clothing and apparel to families who need them. A clothing drive is being hosted by our partners at the Community Wardrobe and the Shames JCC who regularly invite refugees to benefit from their shopping days. Both clothing and volunteers are needed, so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Information on donating and volunteering can be found here: https://horsemenpta.com/community-wardrobe/
Fall Family Picnic
September 11, 12:00pm-4:00pm
Mark your calendars for our annual Fall Family Picnic! Join us Sunday, September 11 at Ridge Road Park for a day of friendship and fun with your new neighbors. There will be food, music, crafts, and activities for kids. The picnic will be a celebration of Where We Belong, kicking off the 10th anniversary of National Welcoming Week.
Available to volunteer? We would love help both with organizing and on the day of the event. If you are interested, please email Program Coordinator Catherine Winn at catherine@heartsandhomesforrefugees.org.
We look forward to seeing you there!
St. John's Church, Children’s Theater Performance
Sunday, August 14 at 3:00pm
St. John's will present a children's theater program "Celebrating Children" featuring their very own "Coble & Stravinsky Puppet Theatre" created by Kurt and Sarah Coble, established at St. John's and debuted at the Emelin Theater in 1995. The concert is a fundraiser for Hearts & Homes for Refugees and will include Kurt's original "Folktales from the 22nd Century," written specifically for young audiences and children of all ages.
The program is open to the public. Bring your friends!
The Center at Mariandale with Sister Normal Pimentel, MJ: Welcoming Our Refugee Brothers and Sisters
September 14, 2022 – 7:00pm
Please join The Center at Mariandale as they host Sr. Norma Pimentel on Welcoming our Refugee Brothers and Sisters. Inspired by the example of the Dominican Sisters of Hope, the Center at Mariandale celebrates the leadership of Catholic women religious who are at the forefront of the church's social justice teaching and action. Sr. Norma will speak of her own experiences of welcoming refugees and how communities can make a significant difference in the lives of vulnerable families. This event supports the Center at Mariandale's on-going collaborations with local refugee relief organizations.
This will be a hybrid program; both in person in the Chapel at Mariandale and online for those who wish to participate through Zoom.
When: Wednesday, September 14, at 7pm
Where: in the Chapel at Mariandale or over Zoom
Fee: $15 per person
Register here!
“Visions of Home Lands” Solo Art Exhibition by Lori Kapner Hosp
April 3, 2022-May 27, 2022
Exhibition of Paintings, “VISIONS OF HOME LANDS" by Lori Kapner Hosp, on view in the White Plains Library Museum Gallery from April 3 through May 27, 2022.
Opening reception on Sunday April 3, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Local artist Lori Kapner Hosp's paintings pay tribute to the beauty and richness of the home lands that newcomers to the U.S. have left behind. Each painting offers a glimpse of the people, traditions or culture of the country it represents. Lori’s art honors the bravery, heart and exuberance of our new neighbors who bring so much to our communities. (More information about Lori and her artwork is available at www.LoriKapnerHosp.com). Proceeds from the sale of the paintings will be donated to Hearts & Homes for Refugees (www.HeartsandHomesforRefugees.org), a Westchester-based organization that welcomes, assists and advocates for refugee families in the region. The exhibit and the April 3 reception are free and open to the public.
Webinar: April 2022 Briefing on Human Rights First's Ongoing Response to the Crisis in Afghanistan
Please join Human Rights First for a briefing on our response to the crisis in Afghanistan: where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. Human Rights First experts and legal staff will provide an overview of the Afghan crisis, including information about Human Rights First’s past and ongoing evacuation efforts, policy and advocacy work, and large-scale legal representation effort to provide legal assistance to Afghans seeking protection in the United States through Project: Afghan Legal Assistance (PALA).
This informative briefing will provide advocates and individuals with up-to-date information on the current situation as well as information on how to get involved.
If you were unable to attend the event, click here to access the archived webinar!
Webinar: The Displacement of Afghan Newcomers to the U.S.
This webinar will provide an overview of events leading to the displacement of Afghan newcomers to the U.S. (also known as evacuees from Afghanistan). It will also cover the social and cultural aspects that distinguish this population from other refugee groups in the United States. This foundational information will help participants be better positioned to properly support newly arrived Afghans through services that align with their socio-cultural strengths and needs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions of a panel composed of qualified experts on the topic.
If you were unable to attend the event, click here to access the archived webinar!