With 749 Afghan refugees settled, United Way looks toward helping Ukrainians
Photo | Courtesy of United Way of Central Massachusetts
Tim Garvin, president & CEO of the United Way of Central Massachusetts, in Worcester
Using a fund now grown to 10-times its initial size, the United Way of Central Massachusetts is expanding its seven-month effort to welcome refugees from Afghanistan to now help those displaced by the war in Ukraine, according to a Saturday announcement from the Worcester-based nonprofit.
United Way of Central Massachusetts founded the Afghan Refugee Work Group Fund using an initial $100,000 donation. This fund has now more than $1 million in pledges and payments.
United Way has welcomed a total of 749 Afghan refugees since August when it began an initiative to help those displaced by the Taliban's takeover of the Asian country. The fund has helped enroll 110 Afghan children at Worcester public schools, and more than 40 arrivals are employed.
The seed money for the Afghan Refugee Work Group Fund came from a $5-million gift endowed to United Way last year by MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist, author, and ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
United Way has also built partnerships with other local nonprofits including Ascentria Care Alliance, Refugee and Immigrant Assistance Center Worcester, Worcester Refugee Assistance Project, Welcoming Alliance for Refugee Ministry, the Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts, Ansaar of Shrewsbury, Joy Guru Humanitarian Services, and the Worcester Islamic Center.
The group fund is now looking at welcoming Ukrainian refugees amid the ongoing Russian attack on Ukraine, which is estimated to create between 4 and 6 million Ukrainian refugees, according to United Way’s press release.
United Way of Central Massachusetts has set up an online donation portal for those wishing to support Ukrainian refugees. In his press release, United Way President and CEO Tim Garvin wrote he does not expect many Ukrainian refugees to be settled in Worcester, as there is already a larger population of Ukrainians in Springfield, so that would likely be where refugees are placed in the state.
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