CHAT helps Afghan refugees resettle in Houston
Nonprofit fills urgent needs for newcomers
Hundreds of Afghan refugees have been resettled in the Houston area in the past few months, relocating to Houston after weeks of uncertainty and fear. Unfortunately, many are ineligible for public assistance, including certain services from refugee resettlement organizations that receive their funding from the government. This has left area agencies and nonprofits scrambling to find ways to help despite the lack of resources. It’s also left countless refugee families floundering upon arrival, with no way to obtain assistance and an urgent need for the most basic essentials.
It’s a situation that has prompted organizations like Culture of Health – Advancing Together (CHAT) to step in and provide relocation assistance to Afghan refugee families in need.
CHAT is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering the health and well-being of immigrant and refugee communities through the education, arts, advocacy and access to care. They work with families throughout Houston, with many of their clients located in Houston’s southwest area around Gulfton. It’s an area with a high concentration of families from Afghanistan, among many others. It’s an area that has seen a lot of newcomer refugees in the past few months.
Typically, CHAT services do not include newcomer and relocation assistance, but the nonprofit leadership was prompted to help because of the urgent need of the community.
“We heard from our clients about family, new neighbors, friends, and friends of friends, who were newly-arrived to the area and literally just had the clothes they were wearing. Many had been through difficult journeys and had nothing, and no way to get help. We had to do something,” said Dr. Aisha Siddiqui, Executive Director of CHAT. “Clothes and food were just the beginning. They needed access to medical care, computer tablets and internet access, furniture and bedding, and so much more.”
Upon doing a needs assessment on the families that were brought to their attention, CHAT provided immediate support where possible. Then Dr. Siddiqui reached out to donors and supporters from the CHAT network to tell them about the most urgent needs – and Houstonians stepped forward to help. Families were connected one-to-one with sponsor families to help them get settled.
“We don’t have a lot of resources, but we’re happy to help as much as we can,” said Dr. Siddiqui.
To donate to CHAT, visit chattx.org/donate-now.