A few years ago I was introduced to Miry’s List – an LA-based non-profit that helps welcome refugees and their families by getting them set up with a home, basic needs, a job, and introducing them to a community – you can read that post here. I remember that she told me a lot of the parents were former aides to the US – translators that no longer felt safe in their countries after working with the US (many from Afghanistan). Once they arrive here, so far from home, they clearly feel lost. Miry found a hole and has been filling it for 4 years. Their mission is as follows: Miry’s List is a movement of neighbors and friends dedicated to welcoming new arrival refugee families into our community through inspired crowdsourcing.
While the messy fall of Afghanistan is still unfolding and there are a billion unknowns, I think one thing we do know is that those who helped the US over the last 20 years, are no longer feeling safe in the Taliban-controlled country. Many of them are hopefully getting out and brought to the states, and then when they arrive it’s also safe to say that they could use extra resources. Organizations like Miry’s list are crucial to help – not only meet their basic needs but help create a community for them to heal.
While there are a billion ways to help, I wanted to feature Miry’s List today because I know her and her organization personally and can attest to their mission, values, and dedication. I spoke to her this morning and she said that she has 8 new families from Afghanistan that need help, and expect many, many, many more to come soon (hopefully). Here is the link to help these families: Miry’s List Emergency Action Fund. Miry also said she has 3 of her families stuck in Afghanistan who went to visit family this summer. The fund would help them get back as they are currently trapped.
If you want to do more than donate you can volunteer as a family ambassador where you’ll be paired with a family (mostly for those of you in Southern California) and help set up their wishlists to help meet their needs.
From Miry: “The goal of an ambassador is to help get one family’s wishlist fulfilled. We match ambassadors with families, a photo, a bio about them and their experience, and a link to their Target wishlist. Also, we ask ambassadors to periodically call the families to do an emotional check-in. Like you would with a friend who is having a hard time. It could be a quick hello or something longer but these touchpoints can be really impactful for families who feel very isolated and far from home.” To volunteer to be an ambassador you can email: ambassadors@miryslist.org
It’s all a mess, totally terrifying, and watching it from afar is a point of privilege. Thanks to non-profit founders like Miry who have been dedicating their lives for years and have the connections and real protocol to help these families – with extra resources and help from those of us who can afford to give. Again, here is her emergency fund dedicated to this most recent crisis, to help Afghani families resettling in California. Give to Miry’s List Emergency Fund
While I know Miry personally, I know there are so many organizations set up to help during this crisis (and year-round). My team rounded up a few more (and please leave more in the comments). We are all still learning the best ways to help so if you have other ideas that go beyond or instead of donating please list those as well. Our hearts, our love, all our thoughts, and prayers go towards the families in Afghanistan.
Organizations to Support
Save the Children
For 100 years, their mission has been to give children a healthy start in life with the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. Nearly 10 million children in Afghanistan are in desperate need of life-saving help. Amid recent airstrikes and shelling, thousand of children and families have been forced to flee, with no access to proper medical care, here are ways you can help:
Ways to help: donation, sponsor a child, or shop gift catalog to give a meaningful gift to a child in need. GoFundMe- Emergency Relief In Afghanistan
Charmagz Library
As one of the few Afghan non-profits registered within Afghanistan, Charmagz Library is a group of young Afghans who have witnessed war and its direct impact on their childhood firsthand. This organization provides mobile library services within Kabul, Afghanistan.
Ways to help: donate to Charmagz Library here
Srow Zar Children @educatethechildrenaf
Children Without Borders and Watan Project
This project was created by Children Without Borders and the Watan Project and they’ve organized a fundraiser where 100% of the proceeds will go to families in need in Afghanistan. You can read more on their project page here.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
No One Left Behind
This was one of Miry’s recommendations. They are the only nationwide nonprofit committed to ensuring that America keeps its promise to our interpreting allies and their families who risked their lives for our freedom.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
Help Build Tomorrow
Help Build Tomorrow (HBT) core mission is to help those in need through sustainable projects for a better tomorrow. This organization’s current campaign goal is to provide urgent needs from tents to food, blankets, drinking water, and hygiene items among other pressing needs. The funds collected in this campaign, will be deposited in the accounts of the US-based non-profit, HBT (Help Build Tomorrow) in smaller increments, and HBT will transfer those funds to local volunteers coordinated by a fundraiser team selected from the community in diaspora around the world, who will supervise the disbursement in full transparency and report back to the community.
Ways to help: donate to the campaign here
“Tent Village” in Kabul by PARSA (Mina Sharif)
They have set up a “tent village” in downtown Kabul and are serving 40 families displaced by the Taliban advance. The Scout camp is being supported by local residents who are dedicated to doing whatever they can to help their fellow citizens. You can donate to this organization so they can get more resources and necessities for these families.
Ways to help: donate to the tent village campaign here
Human Concern International
Human Concern International is on the ground supporting internally displaced people who have left behind their rural towns for city centers with more support. There are more than 270,000 IDPs (internally displaced people), and the figures are rising. Men, women, children, and the elderly are in dire need of clothing, food, water, and shelter. Some need medical care due to sickness, old age, or injury. You can watch videos of their past work here.
Ways to help: donate to their campaign here
***NOTE: There were so many other amazing campaigns that have already reached their goal (or surpassed it which is AWESOME), these are the campaigns that are still actively needing support. If you have any more ways to help or organizations that need a spotlight, please comment them below!
If you looking for other ways to support, consider donating your time through phone banking. Here are some resources below!
Phone Banking
- Text Crisis to 52886
- Use this Afghanistan Congressional Call Script document for a list of representatives to call along with a general script you can say is an attempt to centralize contact information and demands for US politicians regarding Afghanistan.
- This Congressional Advocacy Script document is for calling and petitioning congressional representatives based on your district
Hopefully, this is helpful. Thank you all for reading and taking the time to be here. And most importantly, thank you for doing your part 🙂
Good on you Emily! It’s been horrifying seeing the images from Afghanistan and thinking that we’ve left all those vulnerable people behind. Whatever we can do we should – in all the countries that have done a swift and sudden runner, my own (Australia) included. So terrible as well for all the veterans who gave so much. Devastating to see people so terrified and desperate.
Thanks for posting these resources.
Thank you for sharing information about Miry, her work and other organizations that can help. Appreciate your time on this.
Remember who and what you voted for in 2020. Remember the American and Afghan people who are now being treated with incredible indifference, to put it as kindly as possible, by this administration is simply appalling.
Also remember the agreement that the previous administration signed to pull out of Afghanistan by this year. And remember the 40 plus years of American officials who have helped to create this terrible situation. This is awful, but the responsibility is much larger than what you are portraying.
You really are clueless aren’t you? Nobody disagrees that we needed to pull out of Afghanistan. It is HOW it was done – that is 100% on Biden and his administration, period. How could they forget that there were 10k PLUS American still in Afghanistan? How could they have left all the US weapons for the Taliban? I hope you don’t have any children serving in the military. Elections have consequences. Whoever thought it was a good experiment to install someone to lead the US who had obvious mental limitations – this is on YOU.
Your use of caps and phrases like “install someone to lead the US who had obvious mental limitations” tells me everything I need to know. This is a blog with useful information to help Afghan citizens. Instead you are using the opportunity to spread rhetoric. Shame on you.
This all must be very confusing to many of you who have been fully and totally indoctrinated by Orange Man Bad
While you thought you were being verra kind and oh so brave, you were really voting in a pedophile warmonger. Great job. Tried to warn you but the propaganda rotted your brains. Now we live with this crap and Emily donates to the wartime engine. Good job.
LOL as if DJT doesn’t have “obvious mental limitations.” None of the newly minted geopolitical experts on here had any control over what was done, in this administration or any previous, in Afghanistan. It is impossible to say what would happen if DJT was president right now because he is not. So as much as you’d like to assume the situation would be better, there is no way to know. What I think we can all agree on is that the stories and images from Kabul are heartbreaking and there are thousands of innocent people who need help. Regardless of whether you agree with the way the withdrawal was handled, that is the reality of the situation. What we DO have control over is how (and if) we use our resources to help vulnerable Afghan women and children, which is what Emily is trying to offer here. I have been looking for a reputable and impactful organization to donate to, so I appreciate this post. If you’d rather your dollars go to a different cause, that is certainly your prerogative. There are a lot of people in this country and on this planet who need help. In my experience, lecturing… Read more »
The irony that lurks at the bottom of your long-winded lecture is delightful
Tricia, Russia was in Afghanistan from 1979 – 1989. The U.S. didn’t invade until October 7, 2001. And you are right, we should not have been there in the first place. There is plenty of blame to go around.
Do you remember the movie Charlie Wilson’s War? It was adapted from a book about the Congressman Charlie Wilson who in the 80’s led a secret campaign to give weapons to the Afghan people in order to fight against the Russians. As I said and as you reiterated, plenty of blame to go around for decades and through many different administrations, both Republican and Democrat.
To pretend as if the current situation is a product of an administration that has been in power for less than a year is an admission of ignorance regarding both domestic and foreign affairs. This is a product of decades of mistakes made by people on the left, the right, and everywhere in between. There are no winners here, but the bottom line is that the US owes it to these refugees to try to get them to safety.
Who else but Biden and his admin came up with this plan? Seriously? You are fooling yourself. Biden managed to do the exact opposite of every policy that put America First, yet this he blindly decided not to change? Come on, use your brain.
I am not going to argue with you but urge you to look at the deal made by the prior administration. It is appalling. And that party has scrubbed it from their website. Please please educate yourself. And remember, Afghanistan is where empires go to die.
Thanks for the info! Is it correct to say, then, that the recent changes in Afghanistan were against Biden’s wishes? (Was he carrying out a deal made by the prior administration, contrary to his wishes?) I need clarity!
Evie, Biden was doing what was already promised by his predecessor, who said we would be out of there this year. His hands were tied, essentially. I wish people wouldn’t be so quick to criticize him, unless they have a better idea or could do a better job. Way back when, instead of sending troops in piece meal, if we wanted to make a difference, we should have gone in with all we had. The situation there is essentially what happened in Viet Nam, and the results, sadly, are the same, with the bad guys taking over. Previous presidents didn’t think the American people would stand for the number of troops we would have needed to send there to make a real difference. As it is now, Afghanistan will be Terrorist Central of the world.
Judith, you have never sent a husband to fight a war in Afghanistan and it shows.
None of you armchair politicians/hobbyist interior designers can even understand how bad this is for our country moving forward.
Joe Biden is the worst President we have ever had and it’s only been 7 months.
Peace be with all of you.
TJ, You know nothing about me or our current President and it shows. Please do some research, get your news from somewhere other than Fox, stop pining for Trump, and then come back here and make an intelligent comment.
There is literally nothing you can say that matters when you’re a tr*mper.
Do you see this, Emily?
You helped usher this nastiness into your replies with your bigotry. Wait, but you’re SO NICE! How could this be?!
Quick question, how much longer do you think we will be subjugated to this vitriol? Nothing I say matters? Aren’t you sweet. You probably think you’re a heroine in this tale. I’m sure you do. I’m sure you all do.
Our kindness to you, the actual intolerant bigots, has an expiration date and you are all approaching it.
I suspect that “TJ” is posting under at least three different identities here.
Yes Judith, that makes sense. One person using lots of names.
Does that idea keep you cozy at night?
I assure you, we are here in droves.
I know, I saw you and your friends on TV tearing up our Capitol on January 6th. You were the one with the horns and the war paint, right?
ZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tj, the fact that you are choosing a post highlighting humanitarian aid to air your political grievances, insults, and empty threats speaks volumes about who you are and what you stand for. Besides being so inappropriately timed, your comments are grossly ironic and just plain ignorant.
If you do not like the content, opinions, or designs of Emily and staff (or the opportunity to give to those in need) I encourage you to find somewhere else better suited to you…perhaps a deep dark corner of the web with the “droves” of likeminded individuals you speak of.
I voted for Biden, and the idea that he could have done nothing is completely false. We can say that we think Trump would have been worse without pretending that this wasn’t a huge failure on Biden’s part. I expected better, and I am disappointed in Biden and his administration. This will be a huge part of his legacy.
I’d like to think that Democrats do not need to worship our presidents and pretend nothing is their fault or that they never disappoint us and let down the American people.
Remember which republican put our troops there to begin with.
And we will remember how the Dem’s did this worse (Afghan) exit in our country’s history. If Biden did not like the DEAL the prior administration had, it is he, JOE, commander in chief to do the BEST thing for this country! (Are you feeling safer now?)
So why was the prior ‘deal’ with Mexico for the southern border of our country a deal that Biden COULD CHANGE, or the pipeline deal with Canada, it was a deal Biden COULD CHANGE from the prior administration ??? You talk out of both sides of your mouths…..did you forget you voted for this president because you had confidence in his leadership, and now if Biden’s leadership comes up short, like big time, just weasel around YOUR mistake and blame it on the prior administration. Suck it up buttercup.
(Self-awareness involves monitoring our inner worlds, thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. It is important, because it’s a major mechanism that helps us improve ourselves and our lives.)
George W., after 911, if anyone is wondering.
Please understand, we are in a war of Good vs. Evil not Republican vs. Democrat
Put on your big girl panties now ladies (I hope you at least own one pair)
But orange man is such a meanie head!!!!!
But a senior old man with half of what should be in a head is better???? Leaders can’t be whimps and don’t need to cozy up with the enemy which to you may look like a ‘meanie’ – only a shallow brain who knows nothing about keeping your country safe can possible think in such a juvenile way. Pick up a history book sweetie, learn how the leaders of powerful countries act! They don’t do huge blunders like this career politician did, you little sweetie, probably would know we should have gotten our treaty signed first, then take out our citizens, followed by our supplies and soldiers and Trump was even going to blow up the base there because it was your tax dollars who built it and we should not leave it there for the Taliban. Sweetie, do you know what Biden left behind? This is going to come back to bite us for years and years to come because we now have to face the best equipped terrorist ever!!! And Biden did not want to follow his prior administrations plan……wow ….what is next to happen is very hard to feel comfortable about. Now that is what I would… Read more »
Girl. I’m on your side. It was a joke. I sent a husband to Afghanistan.
I am mocking all the unserious and weak-minded women here who have no idea who they voted in to office and who fell for the propaganda. I can’t believe they let it happen to themselves when, as you mentioned, history books do exist.
I would think that for a gaggle of interior designers, they would be better at noticing a pattern. Alas! This is not the pool from which we will be drawing our heroes.
They will probably be convinced to turn in their unvaccinated neighbors soon. And somehow, through the miracle of propaganda, they will feel great about themselves while doing it.
Sound familiar, fools?
The U.S. has airlifted 7,000 people out of Afghanistan in the last five days. Please let’s wait and see what happens before trying to make folks feel bad about whom they voted for last year.
No
I spent 2 years in Afghanistan and the past week has been a horrific emotional rollercoaster. They need our help and I’m so grateful you posted this. Silly as it may seem, having my two loves – humanitarian work and interior design – collide brought tears to my eyes this morning. I’ve been deeply touched by how people are rallying to help the Afghanis.
Like you and I, we live better in our own culture and enjoy life there than having to be transported half way across the globe to something strange and may never enjoy. So why take the chance and do the best for these people and give them help and sanctuary in Pakistan. So much change is maybe not a good thing, but our help is though. Keep these
people in your prayers for the best handling of the situation.
Thank you for posting these resources <3
Emily, thank you for posting this (especially given you’re in moving mode).
I’m horrified that the Australian Govt left everything to “too little to late” mode and our (smirking and responsibility-avoidant) Prime Minister, today admitted we can’t do what should have been done, for those who helped our defence force, such as interpreters and others.
Even Australian citizens who are NGO workers may not make it out!
For me, there is no excuse for saying things are too hard.
We can all do hard things if we put in enough effort.
Thank you for posting these. Just shameful what has happened and we need to do something.
My friend is an amazing and brave photo journalist and was in Kabul during the take over but was able to get out thankfully. He took some of the photos inside a large cargo plane full of refugees fleeing. It is all so heart wrenching. I am amazed by the strength of so many people to find a way. Thank you for the resources to offer help when we all feel so helpless. I want to share Michael Christopher Brown’s images of these lives:
https://www.lensculture.com/articles/michael-christopher-brown-daily-life-in-kabul#slideshow
Those are powerful photographs.
Thank you so much for posting these and bringing the conversation on how to support into this space! Really necessary and appreciated. Could you highlight these as well?
Support for Afghan women human rights defenders:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-afghan-women-activist-fleeing-taliban
and
https://www.gofundme.com/f/protect-women-leaders-in-afghanistan
Women for Afghan Women: https://womenforafghanwomen.org/
Thank you for posting these very helpful links. To the people who are leaving political comments here – shame on you. This is about helping human beings.
To add to your list of resources: International Rescue Committee is a well-established aid organization that will be helping resettle Afghan refugees. Their main website is: https://www.rescue.org and has a lot of info on ways to help.
I appreciate your writing about this and am surprised you didn’t mention the Red Cross as an immediate way of helping these folks. I realize that you wanted to highlight the work of your friend, and I’m glad you did, but please let’s don’t forget that our neighbors in Haiti are in dire straits right now. Haiti is the poorest nation in our hemisphere, just experienced the assassination of their President, their citizens live in crushing poverty, they had a 7.2 earthquake last week, and are now being hit by a hurricane. May God bless all people currently in crisis.
Sadly the Red Cross is not the best org to donate to for Haiti. For a variety of reasons, including the money that went missing after the 2010 earth quake (hundreds of millions of dollars that went to the Red Cross and were “lost”) as well as the fact that Red Cross workers were the source of a cholera epidemic after the last earthquake as well. Many other orgs are doing the needed work in Haiti.
But the “FOOD FOR THE POOR” is, they are on the
ground now and looking for donations to feed especially for the children. Promise a straight up
organization! My many thanks in advance.
The Red Cross gave a lot of the money raised after the 2010 earthquake to other aid agencies there. This may or may not have been a great use of the money, but it was not “missing,” as you allege. As to the source of the Cholera which caused an epidemic, it was unfortunately brought to the island by U.N. Peacekeeping forces from Nepal. I wonder if you could enlighten us as to whom the “many other organizations” are that are doing “needed work in Haiti.”
On a personal level – can I ask any Canadian readers to help this family whom I know personally? Tweeting or messaging or emailing Minister Marco Mendicino (https://twitter.com/marcomendicino) and NDP critic immigration critic Jenny Kwan ( https://twitter.com/JennyKwanBC) and putting some pressure to get this Mother & Daughter to Canada asap. Thank you! And share the story with others, please! So grateful for any help.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-father-afghanistan-1.6144359
Refugee Services of Texas is preparing to resettle (at a minimum, I would think) 324 Afghan refugees: https://www.rstx.org/
Also miles4migrants.org lets you donate your frequent flyer miles and credit card points
I wish the poor kids in our country were browner so that I’d be more apt to help them and feel sorry for them
But that’s not me, that’s the propaganda talking
Huh?
This is a truly disgusting comment.
Emily would never willingly help, in private or on her platform, a poor white kid whose parents voted for Trump. You know it. I know it. Everyone here knows it. All of this is enraging because you’re all still asleep. How can this be? What needs to happen?
Sad they cannot stand up to the ‘truth’ about anything. Low level critical thinkers, mostly
collective thinkers or brainwashed people that will do anything that they are told. In a nutshell, they could ask themselves these questions, ” is this the right thing to do or say” and “what are the consequences for the future with this action?” It may make a person feel better than just follow, I hear there are cliffs that you can fall off.
What a racist comment, shame on you.
I am utterly unaffected by your tsk-ing
That word, ‘racist’ has been ruined by people like you. It has no heft anymore. No gravitas. It is nothing.
Kind of like the word ‘woman’
There’s a widely respected and trusted NGO working in Afghanistan (and in other complicated scenarios) called Emergency (https://en.emergency.it/what-we-do/afghanistan/ ). They have been building and operating hospitals with a high medical standard for almost 30 years. They started working in Afghanistan in 1999 and since then they treated more than 7mln people. They run two surgical centers for war victims, one surgical center, they created a network of Primary Health Clinics and First Aid Posts in 40 villages and opened a maternity center.
They’re goal is to train local staff as well, not just to bring help with their international community.
This NGO are directly involved with providing for the families that are being evacuated by air into neighbouring countries. So I will vouch for them as I live in the Middle East and they are helping us to transport toys, clothes etc directly to the evacuated Afghan kids now housed at the US military base here. They are our organising meals, sanitary pads , diapers, razors etc for hundreds of people who’ve left their homes with absolutely nothing. https://spiritofamerica.org/
Lutheran Social Services are settling families. Great organization.