UC Berkeley Office of Government and Community Relations In order to streamline information and resources for individuals trapped in Afghanistan, the UC Berkeley Office of Government and Community Relations created a Google doc with information about current evacuations, visa information, and how students can protect their academic records. It will be updated as more information is received.
EAST-BAY COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS LEADING RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS
International Rescue Committee Oakland The IRC has offices in Oakland and the organization has resettled more than 16,000 Afghan refugees through the Special Immigrant Visa program established by the U.S. in 2006.
Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay
BENEFITS
To assist Afghan refugees to sign up for public benefits:
Tiburcio Vasquez Union City Health Center (510) 471-5907
Alameda County Social Services Agency Refugee Cash Assistance Program
EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE
Upwardly Global Upwardly Global helps internationally trained immigrant and refugee professionals to restart their careers in the United States. They have helped more than 7,500 immigrants and refugees find full-time, professional work in their fields. Afghan evacuees whose status is pending processing can benefit their job search training while they wait—please review the eligibility checklist and then complete the online intake form.
LEGAL
Afghan American Foundation The Afghan American Foundation (AAF) is a non-profit representing and advancing the interests of Afghan-American communities focused on civic, cultural, economic, and policy.
Afghan Coalition The Afghan Coalition aims to serving low-income Middle Eastern and South Asian communities of the Bay Area and Los Angeles, with both legal and social services.
Immigration Relief for Afghanistan compilation of pathways for Afghans seeking entry to the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Immigration Institute of the Bay Area - Fremont office phone number: 510-894-3639 and email: [email protected].
Jubilee Immigration - Please call 415-813-1958. Limited capacity for SIV Visas, may be able to assist with Humanitarian Parole. Jubilee serves clients at or below the 250% Federal Poverty Level.
Know Your Rights - Project Anar has created a 1-page resource for Afghans arriving via the Southern border. This is intended to be a quick reference document that summarizes important information.
Pars Equality Center - Matches Afghans in need to volunteers for immigration legal assistance, provides immigration legal services at their two Pars center, and holds a monthly pro bono clinic in Fremont, California at Afghan Coalition along with a myriad of pro bono legal events/clinics.
Please complete the Afghan Support intake form if you need help for an Afghan National that is not in the United States:
https://parsequalitycenter.org/what-we-do/legal-services/afghan-support/
For Afghan Nationals that are in the United States that have an immigration legal service need please email: [email protected]
Visit our Afghan Support Project Resources page here for legal resources for Afghans (including a video on how to file humanitarian parole): https://parsequalitycenter.org/afghan-support-project/
Pars Events are listed here: https://parsequalitycenter.org/events/ Updated as of 9/4/21
MEDICAL HEALTH SERVICES
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Resources materials in Dari, Farsi and Pashto about infectious deceases such as COVID-19, measles, mumps, rubella, polio and chickenpox.
Bay Area Community Health 40910 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 770-8040
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center (510) 471-5880 Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center is a clinic that provides primary care for people of all ages and various health services to all immigrants including Afghan families from Union City to San Leandro. Please check the website for the various locations. Services include health coverage, Cal Fresh, vaccinations, primary care services, mental health services, dental care services, OBGYN, etc. The center provides free Health Promotores training in English, and newcomers are encouraged to attend since it will help them to know resources available in the community.For more information, please contact Carolina Arroyo-Solveson at [email protected] or (510) 219-5255.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND ADJUSTING TO THE U.S.
Afghan Health Leadership Consortium and Email List If you are a provider who would like to join quarterly trainings on providing culturally sensitive care to Afghans and other refugee groups, please join the Afghan Health Leadership Consortium email list and meetings. Contact the Facilitator, Dr. Valerie Smith, at [email protected]. 3300 Capitol Ave, Building B, Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 574-2059 or (510) 574-2075
Alameda County Behavioral Health (ACBH) - List of Mental Health Resources
The City of Fremont Human Services Department, Aging and Family Services offers counseling and emotional support for elders. They have staff who speak Dari, Farsi and are also of Afghan descent. Please call the Senior Info-line at 510-574-2041 to be referred to one of these staff members.39420 Liberty Street, Suite 252, Fremont CA 94538 (510) 745-9151
The Hume Center provides mental health outreach and prevention services for the Afghan Community and linkage to other resources within the Afghan community. The center does not have an Afghan provider but does have an Iranian outreach worker who can speak Farsi (Dari).
Contact: Preet Kaur Sabharwal, PsyD, at [email protected]. She is the Community Program Manager—South Asian Community Health Promotion Services Program. The Multi-lingual Counseling Center offers services in Farsi (Dari). 39420 Liberty Street, Suite 252 Fremont, CA 94538. Phone: (510) 745-9151
Muslim American Society Social Services Foundation (MAS-SSF) offers peer mental health and social support services in five languages: English, Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Arabic, and Urdu. Support Services in-person, on the phone, and over the internet include: A completely confidential and HIPAA-compliant peer mental health service that gives you the ability to interact with a dedicated peer specialist from virtually anywhere. 916 486–8626, Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm [email protected]
The Afghan Coalition Afghan Wellness Project provides Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) services to individuals and families at risk for serious mental health issues; services are provided while decreasing the stigma associated with using mental health services through community education and awareness. The intent is to prevent mental illness from becoming disabling.
Afghan Elderly Association Services include a weekly healthy aging program, a health promotion program, and community linkages to an array of government and social support services. Fremont Healthy Start/Welcome Center provides the following services:application assistance for Medi-Cal, food stamps, CalWorks, Social Security, in-home Support Services, etc., case management, emergency food and clothing.
East Bay Agency for Children – Fremont Healthy Start/Welcome Center
Afghan Health Leadership Consortium and Email List If you are a provider who would like to join quarterly trainings on providing culturally sensitive care to Afghans and other refugee groups, please join the Afghan Health Leadership Consortium email list and meetings. Contact the Facilitator, Dr. Valerie Smith, at [email protected]. 3300 Capitol Ave, Building B, Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 574-2059 or (510) 574-2075
FOOD SECURITY
Alameda Community Food Bank We partner with more than 200 food pantries, hot-meal programs, senior centers and other non-profits to distribute millions of pounds of food every year. Provides fresh fruit, veggies, milk, eggs, bread and much more.
HOUSING
International Rescue Committee Oakland The IRC has offices in Oakland and the organization has resettled more than 16,000 Afghan refugees through the Special Immigrant Visa program established by the U.S. in 2006.
Jewish Family and Community Services East Bay The organization expects to help resettle more than 60 people fleeing Afghanistan by the end of this month, and have already helped about 40 people, including six large families, find homes in the region, according to a spokesperson. Nearly three dozen others were expected this week but had their travel plans cancelled.
SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE
Refugee and Immigrant Transitions Non-profit to partner with those who have sought refuge, employing educational approaches and community supports in local communities. Offers resources for education, family engagement, and community leadership.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Burma Refugee Family Network BRFN has worked in Alameda County, supporting newcomers for over ten years. We are committed to supporting families with enrollment in public services and working in coordination with many other partners in the region. With additional funding, BRFN hopes to hire case workers who can speak Pashto, Dari and Farsi to welcome and support families in this crisis.
Hassam Gabar, Case Manager Phone: 470-851-0228, Email: [email protected] Languages: Pashtu, Dari/Persian, Urdu, Hindi
Upwardly Global Assists in providing job opportunities and professional development for immigrants and refugees.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT RESETTLEMENT EFFORTS IN THE BAY AREA
JCFS East Bay Volunteers Volunteers can assist case managers with tasks such as airport pickups, signing up refugees for their social services benefits, helping register children for school, providing ESL language support, and other related needs.
IRC Oakland Volunteers For volunteer opportunities & donations, contact Cameron Siceloff, Volunteer & Donations Coordinator at [email protected]
Housing The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Oakland and the Burma Refugee Family Network (BRFN) are leading a Housing response team to identify and place newly arrived refugees in initial 90-day housing. Please contact them if you have rooms or housing available to house newly arrived refugees. IRC Oakland: For housing inquiries in support of Afghan refugees contact Kit Stebbins, Resettlement Coordinator at [email protected] Burma Refugee Family Network: For housing inquiries in support of Afghan refugees contact Jodi de La Pena, [email protected] , 510-519-7391.
East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum listserv To receive more information about resettlement efforts, please subscribe to the East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum listserv by e-mailing East Bay Refugee and Immigrant Forum Coordinator, Sean Kirkpatrick, at [email protected].
DONATE LOCALLY For community members looking to donate locally, the following groups are collecting donations to assist refugees that are expected to arrive our area.
Fremont's Afghan Refugee Help Fund will work with local Afghan partner organizations and refugee resettlement agencies to determine the priorities and needs of those new arrivals to our country. Funds will be used for housing, food, clothing, and other items or services to assist refugees expected to arrive in our area. Donate here
The International Rescue Committee of Northern California (IRC) helps refugees who have been granted sanctuary in the Bay Area become self-sufficient. Contact Cameron Siceloff, Volunteer & Donations Coordinator at [email protected] for furniture donations. Donate here
Jewish Family & Community Services East Bay (JFCS) has a Refugee Services team that welcomes new refugees in the East Bay and helps them with resources. Donate here
Donate to the Amazon wish list that both JFCS East Bay and IRC have created for what the resettlement agencies need for families arriving soon: Contact Volunteer & Donations Coordinator at [email protected]
FOSTER CARE
For those who speak Dari, Farsi, Pashto, or Arabic and are open to fostering Afghan children contact Alameda County Social Services, Department of Children & Family Services by visiting https://www.myresourcefamily.org/ and completing the contact form or by calling the Alameda County Adoption and Foster Care Hotline at 510-259-3575.