MOLINE, Ill. — A representative from World Relief Quad Cities, the area's prime immigrant and refugee resettlement agency, sat down with News 8 to talk upcoming challenges in the wake of the Afghanistan evacuation.
Erica Parrigan, a communications associate with the Moline-based non-profit, says that the agency currently assists about 300 to 500 local families with their various programs and services, and that the number could soon grow they want to be prepared for it.
"We don't have a lot of information, we don't know the numbers on the arrivals we're going to get currently, but we are just hoping that we can play some part in welcoming everyone to the Quad Cities once things start to get moving," Parrigan said.
President Biden is expected to announce how many refugees the U.S. will accept in September, and World Relief hopes that that figure will be increased given the situation in Afghanistan.
World Relief provides different resettlement programs ranging from 90 days to 1 year, helping refugees with employment, finances, food, and Department of Human Services processes.
When asked what she wanted the community to know about the situation, Parrigan stressed the need for community members to get involved.
"I hope that everyone knows that our work is really based within the community, so we really need community members to step up and get involved and we appreciate it; everyone who comes in and helps."
Parrigan notes that there's a plenty of ways to donate to World Relief, including item donations like basic household essentials, cookware, bedding, and hygiene items.
You can also sign up to volunteer for the food pantry, or even a 6-month program where a local family and refugee family partner together to learn from and teach other about their cultures.
For more information about World Relief Quad Cities, visit their website or their Facebook page.