Welcoming Week 2024

Celebrate Welcoming Week 2024: Help New Americans Thrive in Minnesota

With more than 100 years of experience working with New Americans, we’ve learned that when people receive a warm welcome and the services needed to start new lives, they don’t just survive in our state, they contribute and thrive. That’s why we’re celebrating Welcoming Week (Sept. 13-22, 2024) and inviting you to join us!

Why be a welcomer?

Being a welcomer is more crucial than ever as the Institute’s Refugee Resettlement work expands. We have resettled 648 refugees so far in 2024, up from 94 in 2021. You play a vital role in helping these new neighbors begin again. Consider how a stable living environment impacts your own sense of belonging. Now, imagine providing that foundation for a family that fled war, violence or persecution so they can begin to heal, find jobs or start school.

How to be a welcomer

Refugees arriving this past year spoke 27 primary languages! Show your support through the language of welcoming by organizing a Housing Donation Drive in your community or by purchasing items from our Amazon Wish List. Your contributions of bedding, towels, dishes and cookware do more than furnish a house − they help create comfort, stability and a sense of belonging.

Throughout Welcoming Week, follow our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts to discover more ways to be a welcomer and to understand the impact of your support. Your actions, big or small, contribute to building a community where everyone feels at home. Together, let’s redefine what it means to be a truly welcoming Minnesota.

Learn how to start a Housing Donation Drive