Supporting Afghans in Crisis

In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the collapse of the Afghan government, and the Taliban’s takeover, many Afghans are fleeing for their lives. This decades-long crisis has created one of the largest refugee populations in the world. While up-to-date figures are unavailable due to the intense conflict, more than 1 million Afghans remain displaced from their homes due to ongoing violence and frequent natural disasters. According to International Rescue Committee, "the number of people in need for 2021 nearly doubled compared to early 2020."

We are grateful for our colleagues at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) who have compiled this list of actions for philanthropy.

• Resource organizations advocating for more robust support for refugees, including the International Refugee Assistance Program, We Are All America, and Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans.
• Support Black immigrant organizations that have been historically under-resourced, including the Black Immigrant Collective, UndocuBlack Network, Haitian Bridge Alliance.
• Invest in efforts that support asylum seekers, including the Welcome with Dignity campaign.
• Fund advocacy and related efforts for a pathway to citizenship for Temporary Protective Status (TPS) holders, such as the We Are Home campaign and Ready to Stay.
• Provide general support grants with minimal administrative hurdles to the organizations above, many of which have limited capacity and must focus their scarce resources on their core work.
• View relevant recent GCIR resources to inform your response, including program and resources on Black immigrant leadership and the webinar Building Welcoming Communities for Tomorrow.

Maryland Philanthropy Network members are also supporting a number of aid organizations including:

• Catholic Relief Services
• International Medical Corps | Emergency Relief Fund
• International Rescue Committee | Welcome to Maryland Fund
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
• Lutheran World Relief
• New American Pathways
• Sahar Speaks
• Women for Afghan Women
• Women for Women International

We will continue to post ways in which you and your foundation may respond to all that is happening in the world and in Maryland so your foundations may grapple with how to respond, when to respond, and to whom you shall respond. We urge you if you’re a small foundation or a large foundation, an individual philanthropist or a provider of programming and resources, to grapple with this topic and look into the future of how all of this will change Maryland and what your role may be to relieve suffering and build for our future.