Our Efforts Continue
In November 2021, JFS of Greater Harrisburg relaunched its refugee resettlement program, operating under the auspices of HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society). Funded by federal, state, foundation grants and private donations, JFS is currently serving families from Afghanistan and Ukraine.
Last year, JFS successfully resettled 44 Afghan refugees and our goal is to help between 100-200 Ukrainian parolees find safe haven in our community.
Get Involved To Support Ukraine
JFS will be holding a series of Information Sessions where you can learn more about ways you can help our Ukrainian newcomers.
Click the Dates Below to Register for the "Introduction to the Ukrainian Program" Information Sessions
How you can help our Ukrainian newcomers:
Consider Sponsoring a Ukrainian Refugee
What does it mean to sponsor a Ukrainian refugee? It means you are taking responsibility for helping Ukrainian refugees find safe haven in our community while the war rages in Ukraine. JFS will be sharing information on sponsorship through Zoom and in-person workshops.
Please sign up for our newsletter on jfsofhbg.org to learn more information about sponsorship, or sign up to attend one of our information sessions.
Donate to JFS to Support Ukrainian Refugees
Monetary Donations
Donations of Furniture, Household Goods & Clothing
JFS is partnering with M28 Ministriesto accept donations of gently used furniture and household items for our new neighbors. If you would like to donate, please contact M28 Ministries.
Clothing
We are looking for new or gently used and freshly washed clothing for our new arrivals.
We will be sharing information on clothing donation sites in the days ahead.
Food Donations
Volunteer Needs and Opportunities
We Need Your Help in so many areas:
- Apartment Set-Up: help clean and furnish housing secured for incoming families.
- Transportation: help clients get to and from appointments, errands, and meetings; teach them how to navigate public transportation systems.
- Mentorship & Companionship: adjusting to a new community and culture is difficult! Pair up with a refugee client to support them through this transition. This could also include help with job searching and preparation, cultural orientation, and other mentorship assistance.
- Translation: if you know or know of someone fluent in Ukrainian, please refer them to JFS to assist with translation for our new families.
Mental Health Services for Ukrainians
After experiencing war, poverty, trauma, and relocation, new refugees and parolees must also face the challenges of building a new life in a new country. This extreme stress puts refugees at high risk for mental health issues. The World Health Organization recognizes the need for expanded mental health resources for refugees, stating that “the prevalence of common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) tends to be higher among migrants exposed to adversity and refugees than among host populations.” Many migrants, refugees and parolees find limited access to any mental health services, especially culturally sensitive mental health services and with experience barriers in accessing these services.
JFS of Greater Harrisburg is contracted with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide mental health services for Ukrainian refugees in Central PA. Working in partnership with our local partners in resettlement, JFS will focus on assessing each Ukrainian refugee to determine their mental health status and needed services. This early intervention helps prevent larger crises later in life. JFS has retained a consulting psychiatrist to work with our team, which will include two new therapists, a case manager and interpreters. Mental health services will be offered at no-cost to refugees without insurance and JFS intends to offer counseling for children, teens, adults and families, in individual and group settings.
If you know of a Ukrainian refugee who would like to know more about these services, please fill out the form below.
Request for Service
Запит на обслуговування
Refugee Resettlement FAQs
“United for Ukraine” is a program of the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a 2 year period of parole*.
Under Uniting for Ukraine, the U.S. government allows people fleeing the war in Ukraine to seek refuge in the United States on a temporary basis known as humanitarian parole, with the support of a sponsor in the United States. The sponsor needs to attest that they will provide financial support to meet the basic needs of someone fleeing Ukraine. They may also provide additional support, such as assistance enrolling in educational or training programs or helping newcomers secure employment. JFS staff are available to provide training and on-going support to any sponsor who enrolls a Ukrainian parolee with JFS.
Sponsors can be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other lawfully present individuals.
Additional information on United for Ukraine can be found on the USCIS United for Ukraine web page.
*see next FAQ for description of term
Humanitarian Parole is a tool used by the U.S. government to grant certain foreign nationals entry to the United States notwithstanding that they do not have a visa or other lawful basis to enter. Individuals who are outside of the U.S. may request parole into the United States based on urgent humanitarian need or significant public benefit reasons. Parole is considered on a case-by-case basis, and if granted, it is authorized only for a temporary period, specifically noted by DHS. Although parole allows an individual to lawfully enter and remain in the United States, the parolee technically remains an “applicant for admission.” Essentially, parole functions as a legal fiction, acting as if the foreign national has remained at the U.S. border despite having entered and resided within the territory of the United States. A parolee is not eligible to work immediately after arrival in the U.S. but can apply for employment authorization based on their parole status. Importantly, parole does not confer any independent immigration status, and parole alone does not provide a path to permanent residency or other lawful immigration status. However, a parolee may be able to obtain lawful status in the United States through other means.
To be eligible for sponsorship, an individual must fulfill these requirements:
- Ukrainian citizens who are outside the United States and their immediate family members
- If not a Ukrainian citizen, they must be an immediate family member of a Ukrainian citizen, including the spouse or common-law partner of a Ukrainian citizen and unmarried children under the age of 21
- Must have lived in Ukraine through February 11, 2022, and been displaced due to Russia’s invasion.
- Must have a valid Ukrainian passport or a child included on a parent’s passport. Non-Ukrainian citizens must have an immediate family member with a valid passport.
- Must have a sponsor in the U.S.
- Children under 18 must be traveling with a parent or legal guardian.
Sponsors may be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other lawfully present individuals. This includes Ukrainian Americans, immigrants who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS), recently arrived refugees, and other everyday Americans, like you! Nonprofits, educational institutions, and employers can also help sponsor people fleeing Ukraine.
Sponsors must be willing and able to receive, maintain and support the beneficiary. Examples include:
- Receiving the beneficiary upon their arrived in the United States and transporting them to initial housing
- Ensuring the beneficiary has safe and appropriate housing for the duration of their parole
- Providing initial necessities
- Helping the beneficiary complete necessary paperwork
- Ensuring the beneficiary’s health care and medical needs are met
- Assisting the beneficiary with accessing education, learning English, securing employment and enrolling children in school
JFS staff are available to assist private sponsors with many of these activities.
- The supporter or sponsor must fill out a Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, through the online USCIS portal. There is no fee for the application. The sponsor must show that they can support the beneficiary for the two-year period.
- USCIS will check the information and conduct a security screening of the supporter.
- Once USCIS has made a decision, they will email the supporter and the beneficiary.
- If the Ukrainian beneficiary is approved, they will receive an email from USCIS to set up an account. The beneficiary will answer biographical questions and attest to their vaccination status.
- Once this is processed, the beneficiary will be emailed their authorization to travel to the United States.
- The beneficiary is responsible for setting up their travel, which must be done within 90 days of receiving their authorization to travel.
Services provided to refugees include but are not limited to:
- Integration – Refugee clients are empowered to integrate into their new communities. JFS staff and volunteers provide cultural orientation and teach refugee clients how to access and use public services such as transportation and emergency services, enroll their children in schools or apply for employment, identify and select healthcare providers, and obtain things like state identification, driver’s license, or library cards.
- Employment – After reviewing refugee clients’ education level, English language competence, and job skills, we assist with job readiness and English language classes, employment counseling, and job placement and retention.
- Health – We support and guide refugee clients through required medical screenings and vaccinations and help them to access health care providers and treatment.
- Mental health – JFS can provide mental health services to Ukrainian Parolees of all ages. We will be conducting client-centered needs assessments and skill-building workshops to enhance problem solving and promote positive interactions. Depending on community need, we may also run psychosocial support groups, provide educational workshops, develop community activities that foster healthy connections, and provide traditional psychotherapy. For more information, click here or call us at 717-233-1681.
Social Services – We provide assistance in helping refugees apply for low-cost housing, enrollment in education or training programs, medical and legal needs, citizenship applications, and accessing additional services as needed.
Update From JFS Executive Director
How To Help Jews in Ukraine
“As JFS have taken on Afghan refugee resettlement over the past five months, we are exploring what steps would need to be in place for our agency to accept Ukrainian refugees. We will keep the community informed of any new developments that we hear.“
JFS continues to resettle Afghan Refugees and we need your help.
Ready To Welcome
Together We Will Provide
JFS of Greater Harrisburg has a long history in refugee resettlement dating back to the mid-1970s. In the 1980s, JFS resettled more than 100 Russian families in Central Pennsylvania and in 2017, JFS assisted in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the community. Drawing on our roots and on our mission to help individuals and families meet life’s most difficult challenges, JFS has partnered with HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society) to resettle between 25-50 Afghan refugees in our community in the months ahead. The first wave of refugees will be arriving in Harrisburg between December 24, 2021 -February 15, 2022.
Every refugee coming to our community has undergone a rigorous 14-step vetting process to ensure that they have the highest clearances to enter the country. White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained at a press briefing in September that the screening process evacuees undergo in third countries “is conducted by a combination of the intelligence, law enforcement, and counterterrorism professionals from across government.” It is anticipated that more than 90,000 evacuees will be resettled in 2022, making this the largest settlement effort ever undertaken in the United States.
This backgrounder contains historical, political, and cultural information to cultivate a general understanding of Afghans arriving in the U.S.
Volunteer
Refugee resettlement involves various opportunities and levels of volunteer engagement to supplement the coordination and case management provided by JFS staff. Volunteer activities can take place before, during, or after a family’s arrival and may include one-time or ongoing commitments.
Volunteer Needs
- Transportation: help clients get to and from appointments, errands, and meetings; teach them how to navigate public transportation systems.
- Mentorship & Companionship: adjusting to a new community and culture is difficult! Pair up with a refugee client to support them through this transition. This could also include help with job searching and preparation, cultural orientation, and other mentorship assistance.
- Translation: if you know or know of someone fluent in Dari or Pashto, please refer them to JFS to assist with translation for our new families
- Apartment Set-Up: help clean and furnish housing secured for incoming families. (Supplies and furnishings are donated based on a list of items published when JFS is notified of an incoming family
How YOU can help find housing
We need your help connecting us with landlords and employers who are interested and willing to work with refugees. If you know of any landlords who have residences that can accommodate the families listed above or if you are interested in offering your home on a temporary basis to help out these families, please call JFS at 717-233-1681 or email us at [email protected]
Refugee Resettlement FAQs
Every Afghan refugee referred to JFS has undergone a 14-point rigorous security screening by the Department of Homeland Security as part of the resettlement process. The process includes extensive and multiple background and biometric checks on each individual entering the United States.
The Afghan refugees entering the United States were allies of the US government and US Army over the last 20 years. They represent individuals who:
- Worked in the US Embassy in Kabul
- Served as translators for the US Army
- Worked in Aid & Humanitarian organizations
- Were at risk if they remained in Afghanistan because of their faith and beliefs
- Were pro-democracy advocates, including many women and girls whose lives are at risk under Taliban rule
These are brave allies of the United States who deserve our appreciation and support in making new lives in Greater Harrisburg and the United States.
As a pro-active, compassionate agency driven by the Jewish value of “Welcoming the Stranger” JFS of Greater Harrisburg recognized the need to act immediately to resettle Afghan immigrants who were forced to flee for their lives due to their affiliation with the US government and US army while in Afghanistan.
So many members of the Jewish community are either immigrants themselves or the children, grandchildren, and descendants of immigrants. We understand what it means to be forced to leave one’s home, sometimes suddenly, and settle in a foreign land; we deeply understand the human tragedy that occurs when nations and citizens turn a blind eye to those who are fleeing persecution, war, and terror.
We are also doing this because JFS has a long history in refugee resettlement dating back to the mid-1970s. In the 1980s, JFS resettled more than 100 Russian families in Central Pennsylvania and in 2017, JFS assisted in the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the community. Drawing on our roots and on our mission to help individuals and families meet life’s most difficult challenges, JFS has partnered with HIAS (formerly the Hebrew Immigrant AID Society) to resettle between 25-50 Afghan refugees in our community in the months ahead
As of July 30, Afghans flying to the US had to have a negative COVID test before coming to the country, and some have been offered vaccines before flying. In Harrisburg, we are ensuring that COVID tests are administered quickly after their arrival and that the family and staff take necessary precautions to protect everyone’s health and safety. Families will also be given information about masking, social distancing guidelines, and vaccines.
Afghan refugee children are not legally eligible for adoption. If you’re interested in providing a safe and loving foster home to a child in need, learn more about our own adoption and foster care program at JFS.
Services provided to refugees include but are not limited to:
- Integration – Refugee clients are empowered to integrate into their new communities. JFS staff and volunteers provide cultural orientation and teach refugee clients how to access and use public services such as transportation and emergency services, enroll their children in schools or apply for employment, identify and select healthcare providers, and obtain things like state identification, driver’s license, or library cards.
- Employment – After reviewing refugee clients’ education level, English language competence, and job skills, we assist with job readiness and English language classes, employment counseling, and job placement and retention.
- Health – We support and guide refugee clients through required medical screenings and vaccinations and help them to access health care providers and treatment.
- Social Services – We provide assistance in helping refugees apply for low-cost housing, enrollment in education or training programs, medical and legal needs, citizenship applications, and accessing additional services as needed.
There are many ways you can help.
- Give your financial support – While JFS will be receiving some funds from HIAS to provide for these refugees, it is nowhere near enough to cover all of the expenses of resettlement. Your gift will directly underwrite our ability to provide food, clothing, housing, translation services, transportation, education, and trauma-informed mental health counseling. To give, please click here
- Volunteer – Volunteers are desperately needed in so many areas to welcome our new refugees. To learn more on volunteering, click here
- Donate Furniture, Household Items and Clothing – To learn more on the most up to date needs for the refugees, please sign up to receive the JFS newsletter here. You can also see what specific items we still need.