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Hello Amazing HNB Supporters,
What a night!
In these trying times, our storytelling show on Friday, October 10th, was a rare glimmer of hope. It was truly overwhelming to see so many wonderful supporters of HNB and refugees (more than 200!) come out and support our storytellers - cheering on Ezatullah when he got nervous, getting teary-eyed when Maria described the kids who made fun of her, and laughing as Storai recalled her first trip to a Super Walmart.
The night showed what immigrants leave behind to start a better life for their families and also how they enrich and encompass what it means to be American. The event also raised nearly $18,000 for Homes Not Borders and also helped our artisans - Atheer, Rabia, Huma and Mohammad - earn more than $2,500 in sales. So thanks again to all those who came out and supported HNB. And for those who missed it or want to revisit a certain story, you can check out the 2025 HNB Storytelling Show on YouTube.
The storytelling show and artisan sales also exemplify the current direction of Homes Not Borders. While home set-ups continue to trickle in with new Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIVs) holders coming to the area (more on that below), our main focus will be supporting forced migrants who are here by building community and sharing their stories and skills, while earning some money and engaging many of you along the way.
In Solidarity,
Laura Thompson Osuri
Executive Director
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36
individuals helped with household goods & furniture
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13
families supported with mentoring
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$16,800
in household goods and furnishings passed along to refugees
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$5,190
in money to refugees (Moving Up Fund & Artisans earning)
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While still not official, the word is out about the 2026 Refugee Presidential Determination, and it is not good. Just 7,500. 7,500!! Literally 6% of the total Biden set last year and by far the lowest ever by any president, including Trump's first term. And to add insult to injury, it looks like 90% of them will be slotted for white Afrikanners and 500 will be reserved for (and you can't make this stuff up) anti-immigrant populists from European countries. This policy completely ignores the most vulnerable displaced persons from countries like Venezuela, Sudan, and Ethiopia, and goes against any UNCHR guidelines.
For Afghan SIV (Special Immigrant Visa) holders, the situation is only a little more hopeful. SIVs are still being issued, and arrivals are trickling in, but the flow is slower than ever. Several members of Congress are pushing for an FY2026 SIV allocation of at least 20,000. But with the House out of session and the federal government shut down, they still have yet to approve anything. (Such allocation was approved in March for FY2025.) So as of now, the SIV program ends on December 31, 2025, with roughly 80,000 SIVs - those Afghans who bravely supported the U.S. troops - still waiting for approval.
And just to restate HNB's position: we will do all we can to help the Afghans who arrive and any other traditional refugees and forced migrants based on the UNCHR definition of such. This definition does not include any of the Afrikaners or European populists that the Trump administration is designated as "refugees."
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Host a Storyteller
After an amazing storytelling fundraiser, we are more excited than ever to get our storytellers out and about to share their experience with the wider world.
So if you know of a school, community or faith group, or workplace interested in hosting a storyteller, please reach out the Amy Wrona, amy@homesnotborders.org.
Besides refugee stories, we can also share more about HNB and the refugee experience. We just ask all hosts to provide an honorarium of at least $200 per storyteller.
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Shop our Artisan Pop Up Booths
With the holidays approaching, our artisan sales are stepping up! Rather than online sales, we are now focusing on in-person sales at various markets throughout the D.C. region. Come out and visit our artisans and buy some amazing cutting boards, crocheted items, and rugs.
Here are the ones coming up in the next month, and check our website later this week for a full listing:
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Thursday, Oct. 30, 10 am to 3 pm: No Lost Generation/GWU Fall Market, Kogan Plaza, 2121 H St NW, Washington, DC
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Saturday, Nov.15th, 10 am to 2 pm: Bowie Arts and Craft Market, Bowie Senior Center, 14900 Health Center Dr, Bowie, MD
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Saturday, Nov. 15th, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm Wonderlust, Joe's Movement Emporium, 3309 Bunker Hill Rd, Mt Rainier, MD
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Saturday, Nov 22nd, 9 am to 2 pm: St. Margaret's Holiday Craft Fair, St. Margaret's Church, 1601 Pleasant Plains Rd, Annapolis, MD
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Winter/Spring N2N Mentors & Newcomers Wanted
With our second cohort in full swing, we are looking for volunteers and clients for our winter/spring Newcomers to Neighbors program. We will likely have one Afghan cohort of 7-8 families based in Prince George's County and the cohort activities will run from January to April. If you are interested in becoming an N2N mentor - commitment is about 4 hours a week, and there will be at least two volunteers per family - please fill out our N2N Volunteer Interest Form!
And if you are a newcomer who has arrived in the U.S. in the last year and are interested and available as well, please fill out the N2N Client Interest Form.
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Rugs, Lamps and Artwork Needed!!
As you see from the numbers above, we are still setting up homes - for SIVs and a few recent secondary migrants as well. And while we are fairly flush with furniture, we are in short supply of key touches to complete a home.
So, if you have any lamps, rugs (8x10 or smaller) or artwork (preferably without people's faces in it) to spare, please consider donating them. You can bring it by our warehouse (3610 East Street, Landover) any day from 10 am to 2 pm. And if you have several large rugs or lamps to donate, please fill out our Donation Pick Up form and we will come and get them.
| | If you missed any of our previous monthly updates, or just want to stay up to date on all things concerning refugees and HNB, check out new Monthly Updates page. | | |
3610 East Street, Landover, MD 20785
info@homesnotborders.org • www.homesnotborders.org
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