Volunteers

Going the Distance for Refugees. Literally.

Jun 14, 2017

Melinda Menzer, an English professor at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, swam 9.2 miles in the Tennessee River on Sunday, June 4 to raise money for HIAS.
Volunteers help move furniture for newly arrived refugees in Toledo, Ohio.

For National Volunteer Week, Recognizing Those Helping Refugees

Apr 28, 2017

In honor of National Volunteer Week—a special opportunity each year to thank volunteers who lend themselves to support causes they care about—HIAS is recognizing some of the incredible people sharing their time and talent.

From Credit Cards to Savings Accounts, Refugees Learn Financial Savvy from JFS Volunteers

Apr 19, 2017

“It seemed tailor-made, to do something that I would really enjoy and I could add value to,” said Fisher, who holds an MBA and a degree in accounting. “I thought it would be fun, and also very, very worthwhile.”

Attorney Alan Lipsitz: Why I Volunteer with HIAS

Apr 06, 2017

Since joining the HIAS pro-bono legal program last fall, volunteer attorney Alan Lipsitz has been putting his skills to work for asylum seekers in both Washington, D.C. and New York. HIAS attorneys introduced Lipsitz to the intricacies of asylum law, matched him with clients in need of legal assistance and provided guidance and oversight throughout the case.

New York Jewish Communities Get Resourceful for Refugees

Jan 04, 2017

Last year saw the number of people worldwide forced from their homes by war and persecution balloon to over 65 million, including millions fleeing the horrific conflict in Syria. As the need for urgent refugee assistance grew, so did the Jewish community’s grassroots efforts to help welcome and protect the most vulnerable refugees.

Synagogues Gather to Learn How to Help Refugees

Dec 27, 2016

The social hall at Temple Micah in Washington, D.C. was humming with conversation. Roughly 100 people, representing more than 20 synagogues in the D.C. area between them, eagerly awaited information about how their congregations might take on the global refugee crisis in a very local way: partnering with a newly-arrived refugee family through the HIAS Welcome Campaign.

AmeriCorps Volunteers Turn Their Attention Toward Refugees

Dec 05, 2016

Saba Al Tameemi came to Washington state with her husband and two children in October 2015. Just two months later, the 35-year-old Iraqi with a master’s degree in English and American Literature from the University of Baghdad began helping other newly arrived refugees achieve self-sufficiency.

From Brooklyn to the Bronx, a Manhattan Synagogue Spreads Welcome on Thanksgiving

Nov 22, 2016

Early Sunday morning, Charlie Blank and Jenn Corker set off to meet a family of Afghan refugees. A halal turkey sat in a cooler on the back seat. Blank and Corker are members of East End Temple, a Reform Jewish congregation in Manhattan that has been working with HIAS to find ways to support and advocate for refugees.

Attorneys Volunteer to Protect Asylum Seekers

Nov 21, 2016

Recognizing the growing demand for assistance navigating the tedious legal process tied to securing asylum status in the U.S., HIAS recently launched a pro bono training program for attorneys to volunteer their services.

Interfaith Advocates Rally Finance World In Support Of Refugees

Oct 31, 2016

Before they were raising funds from donors and corporate foundations in support of refugees, they were colleagues in the financial world. Greg Sharenow and Hussein Allidina founded the Interfaith Refugee Project as a way for their peers in the financial industry to join a united, interfaith response to the global refugee crisis.

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