Accompany

A Toolkit for U.S. Congregations Accompanying Individuals Seeking Asylum

This toolkit is designed as a resource to congregations in the U.S. that desire to accompany asylum seekers in their journey to find safety and support within the U.S.

With some exceptions for particular roles within a Welcome Team, all Refugee Accompaniment activities can be done and led by the youth*

• Become a Welcome Team for an arriving refugee family.

• If your church is not near a Church World Service resettlement office, click here 

• Find out what the refugee resettlement office in your state needs most right now.

• If your church is not near a refugee resettlement office, ask the office closest to you how you can partner with them. Maybe another church has the human power but not the financial ability to form a Welcome Team? Maybe you can do a drive for creating Welcome Kits and take a special road trip to deliver them? Additionally, you can hold a fundraiser at your church for UCC Refugee and Asylum Ministries

• Hold a Refugee Justice Sunday at your church

• Tell your elected officials you to want refugees in your community and for the U.S. to support protections for refugees abroad.

• Get educated– on the state of refugee resettlement in the U.S., what’s happening with refugees worldwide, who is working for welcoming refugees, and where refugees are facing further persecution and danger.