Refugee agencies readying to support Afghanistan evacuees

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from Afghanistan after the U.S. announced efforts to pull troops from Kabul. Some local non-profits are readying to provide assistance.

The White House confirms the U.S. military has evacuated an estimated 105,000 people from Afghanistan since August 14. Families flown out on planes are landing at locations around the world including Germany and Mexico. U.S. agencies are preparing to help.

“We have been getting many calls since all the publicity started about the Afghan crisis,” said Lynda Wilson, President Alabama Interfaith Refugee Partnership.

Lynda Wilson is the President of the Alabama Interfaith Refugee Partnership. It is an organization that works as a support group to resettlement agencies in the U.S. and in Alabama.

Wilson says as of now, the state department approved resettlement agency in Mobile is not set to accept evacuees, but she reached out to the state department Friday to see if her non-profit could.

“If it is possible for groups like ours to assist, then my second question is how do we do that,” said Wilson.

As she waits for answers, the non-profit is looking to support the resettlement agency Inspiritus in Atlanta that’s expecting to receive over 200 evacuees, either through training classes or financial assistance to sponsor families.

For more information about Alabama Interfaith Refugee Partnership or how you can support efforts, visit https://www.justserve.org/alirp.

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