Welcoming New Neighbors: Ashrei Expands Its Mission
At the Ashrei Foundation, we believe that every person deserves a place to call home. That’s why we are thrilled to announce our partnership with an existing refugee resettlement initiative, which began in Fall 2021 with a women-led, all-volunteer team at Central Reform Congregation. This team engaged in a resettlement program offered by HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and has since welcomed four refugee families from Afghanistan and Ukraine, helping them build new lives in St. Louis.
A New Chapter for Refugee Resettlement
In 2024, facing increased demand and a heightened need for administrative support, Ashrei welcomed the transition of this effort into our immigrant justice work. The courageous and competent core volunteer team continues to lead the project, providing hands-on support to families, while Ashrei strengthens the initiative by offering administrative assistance, fundraising, and advocacy to protect refugee status and expand the rights of all immigrants.
The Resettlement Process: A Community Effort
Resettlement work falls into three key phases: preparation, arrival, and belonging. Volunteers take the lead at each stage, engaging in critical efforts such as:
Preparing and submitting sponsorship applications
Purchasing plane tickets and securing stable housing
Covering rent for a year, utilities for six months, and providing a monthly stipend for the first six months (historically costing around $27,000 per family)
Connecting families with benefits and medical care
Assisting in obtaining Social Security numbers and cards
Enrolling children in school and coordinating with school districts
Providing transportation to English classes and job training
Helping adults secure employment and obtain driver’s licenses and vehicles
Welcoming a New Family Against All Odds
Earlier this year, our team was preparing to welcome a fourth family when devastating news struck—their plane tickets were abruptly canceled following a disgraceful executive order from President Trump.
Despite the setback, we persevered, and on March 14, 2025, we proudly welcomed the project’s fourth family, the first under the Ashrei umbrella.
Ashrei President, Helen Petty, and her Husband Alex Anderson entertain two of the four children in our newly welcomed family on their first day in the United States.
The father of the newcomer family had served as a security guard for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, qualifying his family for a special immigrant visa. However, they were stuck at Camp Doha, a U.S. military base in Qatar, where departures to the U.S. had slowed to a trickle. Thanks to the determined advocacy of a previously resettled family and the flexibility of HIAS, our group was granted permission to purchase plane tickets for the family, ensuring their safe arrival before further immigration restrictions could take effect.
Amidst turbulent spring storms, a mother, father, and their four young boys finally landed in St. Louis late on March 14th.
They were warmly received with a welcoming Airbnb and a home-cooked meal, shared by volunteers and the first Afghan family resettled by our team in 2021. Today, we are prioritizing stable housing and English classes to help establish a strong foundation for their future.
A member of our newcomer family helps Helen Petty, Ashrei President and leader of the Refugee Resettlement Project, crochet a baby blanket for a friend.
Their journey has been long and fraught with challenges, but today, they are here, safe and ready to build a future.
How You Can Help
Financial support for this family is our most pressing need. Please consider a restricted contribution that will go directly to rent, utilities, food, and household essentials as they settle into their new home.
We are also in need of volunteers to help transport families to English classes and appointments. If you're interested, please sign up here.
At this time, we are not accepting clothing or household item donations, but we encourage you to stay tuned for future needs by following our emails and social media updates.
A Note to Our Supporters
Over the years, the generosity of our community has made the impossible possible. Because of your kindness, our refugee family in St. Louis has grown, and many families have found stability and success here.
The father of the first family welcomed in 2021, who assisted the American military in Afghanistan and faced severe persecution, is now an independent contractor, while his wife, pursues nursing at Washington University. Their children thrive in a St. Louis county school district, and their eldest is enrolled in a prestigious art camp this summer. Read the March 6, 2025 St. Louis Public Radio article featuring this family here.
This family was recently joined in the US by the father’s sister, a former dentist, and her husband, an engineer, the third family resettled by our group. They are now attending Washington University’s Empower program, with hopes of reentering their fields.
The second family, welcomed in 2022, who fled Crimea after speaking out against Russian occupation, have rebuilt their lives here. The wife now teaches painting to children, while the husband works as a cross-country truck driver. They recently welcomed a baby, and thanks to our group’s support, the husband’s mother was able to immigrate and meet her grandson.
Why Your Support Matters
Each resettlement effort requires significant financial resources—covering rent, utilities, legal fees, and more. We also provide legal assistance for asylum applications and career support to help professionals return to their fields.
During this time of political uncertainty and immigration program disruptions, we remain as busy as ever. Your support ensures that these families have the stability they need to rebuild their lives.
A dedicated volunteer shared:
“As much as we have changed the lives of the families we’ve resettled, they have also changed mine. It’s an honor to do this work. Seeing the adversity these families have faced makes me realize how lucky we are here. Immigrants enrich our community, and the support we offer—100% of which goes directly to the families—helps give them a strong start.”
With your help, we can ensure that this remarkable family, and others to come, feel truly welcomed and supported.
