State looking for volunteers to sponsor, support refugees
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The state is looking for volunteers to sponsor refugees.
The Welcome Corps, a federal program launched in January of 2023, pairs volunteer residents with refugees to help them get settled.
“Programs like the Welcome Corps advance the Office of Global Michigan’s mission to make Michigan the home for opportunity for our immigrant, refugee and ethnic communities,” Poppy Hernandez, Global Michigan director and Michigan’s chief equity and inclusion officer, said in a release. “Expanded refugee resettlement pathways empower more Michiganders to support our state’s growing refugee population and build a more welcoming and inclusive Michigan for all.”
A new Private Sponsor Groups program allows residents to apply to sponsor a refugee or refugee family they know. Sponsors provide support to refugees for 90 days after they arrive. Support includes things like welcoming them at the airport, helping them find housing and a job, and enrolling kids in school.
GR Chamber looks to immigration to fill talent gap
The program offers support and guidance with local organizations.
Michigan residents can also sponsor refugees from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua or Venezuela through the CHNV program or Ukrainian refugees through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
For more information, go to Michigan.gov.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
