Our Mission:
To help refugees resettle in New York State's mid-Hudson valley.
New Paltz for Refugees is a grassroots, volunteer, nonprofit group working with other agencies
to resettle those in need to our Hudson Valley community. And we need your help!
New Paltz for Refugees is a grassroots, volunteer, nonprofit group working with other agencies
to resettle those in need to our Hudson Valley community. And we need your help!
Thank you to our corporate sponsors:
Goodwill Evangelical Presbyterian Church; New Paltz Rotary; Saugerties Area Council of Churches;
Garvan's Rock & Rye, LLC; Christ the King CEC; Law Offices of Robert Rich; Fox and Hound
Garvan's Rock & Rye, LLC; Christ the King CEC; Law Offices of Robert Rich; Fox and Hound
Thank you to our food sponsors:
April 2023 Update
It has been a while since our last update, but that doesn't mean that things have not been busy! In total, we have partially or fully sponsored 22 Afghan refugees – including 9 children! We are directly supporting two families, financially and with educational and social support. Both families have been the beneficiaries of extremely generously donated housing. Our first family is well on their way to independence, with the father fully employed. Our second family is waiting on legal paperwork for Temporary Protected Status, which we are hopeful will be coming through soon! The children in both families are absolutely thriving in school, and our volunteers have arranged tutoring in-home English for all. We hope to be providing further updates soon!
Welcoming our 2nd Afghan refugee family to New Paltz, NY
March/April 2022 Update: Resettling in New Paltz!
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We are so happy to welcome our second recently arrived family from Afghanistan to New Paltz! The excited family of five was greeted at the Poughkeepsie Train Station by New Paltz for Refugee's wonderful volunteers after a very long ride from Buffalo, NY. The family was also lucky to have had two Welcome Meals! One meal was on the day they arrived and a second Welcome Meal took place two weeks later in Stone Ridge, NY.
Our sister refugee resettlement group located in Stone Ridge, NY, the Afghan Circle of the Hudson Valley, welcomed their first family to the US at the beginning of April, 2022. So a second Welcome Meal followed closely on the first with both newly arrived families! We're also very fortunate that the second family New Paltz for Refugees is sponsoring and the first family the Afghan Circle of the Hudson Valley are sponsoring are close friends! This kind of connection is helpful with cultural comfort and integration and adds more building blocks to the foundation of successful resettlement for our new friends in the US.
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Donate a phone!More refugees arrive in the Hudson Valley on steady basis thanks to support from great people like you!
Many of them have arrived without cell phones, which is a lifeline to those they need to stay in touch with. If you have a cell phone sitting or a dresser drawer or just gathering dust on a shelf, we need it! If you have a cell phone you can donate , please let us know here. |
Welcoming our 2nd Afghan refugee family to New Paltz, NY
February 2022 Update: Heading to eastern New York State!
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Hello, my name is Abdul and I’m from Kabul, Afghanistan were I was born in 1986. Ten years later I was second in my class when the Taliban took over my country. For the next five years I could not continue my education under their rule. When the Americans arrived everything changed and I was able to continue my studies. I discovered I was interested in computer technology and studied this field intently. I am also very interested in business so in 2010 I opened a computer store in Shar-now in Kabul.
At the same time my family really wanted me to get married. One day a friend was hosting me at his house where I met a very nice woman named Zahra who was from the Kapisa province in Afghanistan. She was very kind and nice to everyone, a very good person. I told my parents that I liked her and my family met with Zahra’s family so see if she felt the same way. Lucky for me she did because on June 25, 2011 we were married.
Zahra has been a good life partner for me, she supports me when I really need support. Also because of her I have the three most beautiful children. Our first daughter, Perveen, is now nine years old. Perveen is very quiet and wants to study to become a doctor. Our second daughter Taara, is now four years old. She is also very quiet and always looks sad although she is not sad at all and is very sweet. Our son Mohammad is just two years old. His is very funny and sweet and is kind to everyone.
Thank you very, very much in your kind support for helping me and my family to come to live New Paltz, New York. It must be warmer there than in Buffalo where we are now!
At the same time my family really wanted me to get married. One day a friend was hosting me at his house where I met a very nice woman named Zahra who was from the Kapisa province in Afghanistan. She was very kind and nice to everyone, a very good person. I told my parents that I liked her and my family met with Zahra’s family so see if she felt the same way. Lucky for me she did because on June 25, 2011 we were married.
Zahra has been a good life partner for me, she supports me when I really need support. Also because of her I have the three most beautiful children. Our first daughter, Perveen, is now nine years old. Perveen is very quiet and wants to study to become a doctor. Our second daughter Taara, is now four years old. She is also very quiet and always looks sad although she is not sad at all and is very sweet. Our son Mohammad is just two years old. His is very funny and sweet and is kind to everyone.
Thank you very, very much in your kind support for helping me and my family to come to live New Paltz, New York. It must be warmer there than in Buffalo where we are now!
New Paltz for Refugees will be bringing Abdul and his family to resettle with us in mid-March.
They'll be in temporarily housed here in New Paltz for another month until their long-term housing is ready for them.
We hope you'll help support this newly arrived family either by donating or volunteering your time!
They'll be in temporarily housed here in New Paltz for another month until their long-term housing is ready for them.
We hope you'll help support this newly arrived family either by donating or volunteering your time!
Welcoming our 1st Afghan refugee family to New Paltz, NY
January 2022 Update: Finally to school!
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Ahmad's children are finally back in school! Their education had been severely curtailed after their flight from Afghanistan and the Taliban. While in their military camp in the Mid-west for three months before arriving in New Paltz, education options were limited. (although Ahmad and his eldest son both taught English classes to the thousands of refugees in their camp). So the entire family is VERY happy that everyone can continue their education in our first rate school system.
Also, the local Spectrum News interview with Ahmad and his family aired last night and it was fantastic. You can view it here:
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/news/2022/01/06/afghan-refugee-family-finds-a-new-beginning
Also, the local Spectrum News interview with Ahmad and his family aired last night and it was fantastic. You can view it here:
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/hudson-valley/news/2022/01/06/afghan-refugee-family-finds-a-new-beginning
December 2021 Update: Telling Their Story
Ahmad and his family were visited by Spectrum News reporter Olivia Leach who is producing a news segment. Olivia interviewed Ahmad for over an hour as he shared the story of his family’s journey from Kabul to the U.S.
Ahmad described how the family spent three nights outside the Kabul airport, and were lucky to board a plane to the U.S. He described the three months spent in a military base in Wisconsin before arriving to the New Paltz area.
He told Olivia that during the ordeal his family and relatives “were scared of us being caught by the Taliban. Even five days before the fall of Kabul, almost all the embassies stopped working or they evacuated their personnel.”
“We were left behind and we didn’t know what to do,” he explained. “But we had already decided that we can’t stay or live in Afghanistan anymore, not under the shadow of the Taliban’s flag.”
Ahmad said his children grew up in a decent family “where they had the chance to explore the freedom of life and live the most. Suddenly everything thing was coming to an end in front of our eyes. The dream that I had for my children, that someday they will do much better than I did in my life was fading away. We were so desperate, no hope at all.”
He said they took a chance and risked their lives, spending two nights behind the airport gates and one night inside of the airport to complete the process of evacuation. “Getting inside the airport with five children while millions of people are blocking your way – I can’t even talk about it, so I leave that to your imagination.”
“We took a deep breath after boarding a U.S. Airforce Military plane and thanked God for listening to our prayers and giving us chance to live again. Things changed in a good way while we got to Qatar, then to Fort McCoy U.S. military base in Wisconsin. It will be never ever enough to thank the U.S. military, they definitely deserve much, much more.”
Ahmad also expressed gratitude to Afghan Refugee Housing Network and New Paltz for Refugees for helping him and his family.
Ahmad described how the family spent three nights outside the Kabul airport, and were lucky to board a plane to the U.S. He described the three months spent in a military base in Wisconsin before arriving to the New Paltz area.
He told Olivia that during the ordeal his family and relatives “were scared of us being caught by the Taliban. Even five days before the fall of Kabul, almost all the embassies stopped working or they evacuated their personnel.”
“We were left behind and we didn’t know what to do,” he explained. “But we had already decided that we can’t stay or live in Afghanistan anymore, not under the shadow of the Taliban’s flag.”
Ahmad said his children grew up in a decent family “where they had the chance to explore the freedom of life and live the most. Suddenly everything thing was coming to an end in front of our eyes. The dream that I had for my children, that someday they will do much better than I did in my life was fading away. We were so desperate, no hope at all.”
He said they took a chance and risked their lives, spending two nights behind the airport gates and one night inside of the airport to complete the process of evacuation. “Getting inside the airport with five children while millions of people are blocking your way – I can’t even talk about it, so I leave that to your imagination.”
“We took a deep breath after boarding a U.S. Airforce Military plane and thanked God for listening to our prayers and giving us chance to live again. Things changed in a good way while we got to Qatar, then to Fort McCoy U.S. military base in Wisconsin. It will be never ever enough to thank the U.S. military, they definitely deserve much, much more.”
Ahmad also expressed gratitude to Afghan Refugee Housing Network and New Paltz for Refugees for helping him and his family.
Please help by donating now: CLICK HERE
November 2021 Update: A THANKSGIVING MIRACLE
New Paltz for Refugees welcomed our newly arrived Afghan friends to New York last night. Our friends had a 3 hour drive from a military camp to a Midwest airport, a 2 1/2 hour flight to New York and then a 2 hour drive to New Paltz! That is a long journey (and a very complicated day for logistics) but they are finally here and we couldn't be happier. After arriving at a house in our area graciously provided for short term housing free of charge by Airbnb.org and coordinated by Afghan Refugee Housing Network (www.afghanrefugeehousing.org), we devoured a traditional Afghan meal that was waiting for us, prepared by wonderfully welcoming volunteers. Then collapsed from exhaustion! We'll continue to keep you updated on the family's progress as they begin their new lives in the Hudson Valley. Thank you all for your support and, if you haven't had a chance yet, please donate NOW to help this amazing family as they join our community.
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A REFUGEE'S STORY
In just a few weeks we'll welcome the first Afghan refugee family to our community. Ahmad and this wife Hawa (not their real names to protect their identity) and their five children look forward to a better future after nearly three months at Fort McCoy refugee camp in Wisconsin. They are as excited to come to New Paltz as we are to have them!
Ahmad's story in his own words:
I was born in Kabul City, the capital of Afghanistan. My family is one of the lucky ones among millions of Afghans who wish to live in a peaceful country. I still remember when I was 7 years old, we left our home in Kabul because of the war and conflict among warlords after the Russians left our country. Imagine growing up, studying and getting married all in a war zone! But after the involvement of the United States and their generosity towards helping Afghanistan build a bright future for their people, I started to work and study even harder to be a good husband and a good father to build a future for my children.
I worked in one of Afghanistan’s Ministries for 15 years and with Artlords.net an NGO which paints murals over the bullet ridden walls of Kabul. While working in the Afghans Ministry of Education, as a Donors Coordinator, I had the opportunity to be involved in many international organizations projects including the World Bank, USAID, GIZ, PEM, Monash UNIVERSITY, KFW and many more who where supporting Technical, Vocational Education and Training.
A coworker from ArtLords.net informed us that we are eligible to apply for P2 visas to the US because they knew our lives were in great danger as the Taliban grew stronger and stronger, because we had worked with them as well as with the US Embassy and other international organizations on many projects.
Fortunately I was able to manage my escape with my immediate family from Kabul Airport in a US military plane to Qatar soon after Taliban took over Kabul. I risked my entire family and my own life as we raced to get to a gate at Kabul Airport. It was just like a movie, a terrifying movie that you don't want to be in. People were running, people were screaming, people were pushing, people were falling. The day after the plane took off a suicide bombing occurred at the airport that killed many innocent people including US military personnel.
But I want to thank you America for gifting us a new life, a new beginning and a new home.
Thank you USA Military for providing safe haven for us, thank you for all the patience, thank you for your love towards our children, thank you for all the hugs, thank you for the shelter, foods, clothes, toys and for your efforts in helping to guide us.
Thank you very much the people of America for all those generosity and generous uncountable donations, thank you for all the English language courses, for all those books, funny children’s plays, and for all the musical programs you organized for us. Thank you New Paltz for Refugees and Afghan Refugee Housing Network for sponsoring us and providing us with a chance for a new life here in America.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Ahmad's story in his own words:
I was born in Kabul City, the capital of Afghanistan. My family is one of the lucky ones among millions of Afghans who wish to live in a peaceful country. I still remember when I was 7 years old, we left our home in Kabul because of the war and conflict among warlords after the Russians left our country. Imagine growing up, studying and getting married all in a war zone! But after the involvement of the United States and their generosity towards helping Afghanistan build a bright future for their people, I started to work and study even harder to be a good husband and a good father to build a future for my children.
I worked in one of Afghanistan’s Ministries for 15 years and with Artlords.net an NGO which paints murals over the bullet ridden walls of Kabul. While working in the Afghans Ministry of Education, as a Donors Coordinator, I had the opportunity to be involved in many international organizations projects including the World Bank, USAID, GIZ, PEM, Monash UNIVERSITY, KFW and many more who where supporting Technical, Vocational Education and Training.
A coworker from ArtLords.net informed us that we are eligible to apply for P2 visas to the US because they knew our lives were in great danger as the Taliban grew stronger and stronger, because we had worked with them as well as with the US Embassy and other international organizations on many projects.
Fortunately I was able to manage my escape with my immediate family from Kabul Airport in a US military plane to Qatar soon after Taliban took over Kabul. I risked my entire family and my own life as we raced to get to a gate at Kabul Airport. It was just like a movie, a terrifying movie that you don't want to be in. People were running, people were screaming, people were pushing, people were falling. The day after the plane took off a suicide bombing occurred at the airport that killed many innocent people including US military personnel.
But I want to thank you America for gifting us a new life, a new beginning and a new home.
Thank you USA Military for providing safe haven for us, thank you for all the patience, thank you for your love towards our children, thank you for all the hugs, thank you for the shelter, foods, clothes, toys and for your efforts in helping to guide us.
Thank you very much the people of America for all those generosity and generous uncountable donations, thank you for all the English language courses, for all those books, funny children’s plays, and for all the musical programs you organized for us. Thank you New Paltz for Refugees and Afghan Refugee Housing Network for sponsoring us and providing us with a chance for a new life here in America.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.