INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 19, 2021
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES RAMPS UP RESETTLEMENT SERVICES FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES
L.A. refugee services organization launches “Act Now for Afghan Allies” campaign
LOS ANGELES, CA – International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA) is preparing for the arrival of Afghan refugees to Southern California following the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the subsequent mass evacuations of Afghan citizens.
IILA provides comprehensive services to newly resettled individuals and families, including temporary and long-term housing, airport reception, health screenings, community orientations, and assistance finding employment and child care. In addition to an increase in Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders arriving in Los Angeles, IILA has already started receiving more refugees from around the world because of the Biden administration’s increase of the refugee admissions ceiling to 62,500.
While IILA has long been funded through government contracts, this imminent increase in demand requires an expansion of private support from the L.A. community. IILA is launching a campaign titled “Act Now for Afghan Allies” with the objectives of identifying volunteers in the community to serve as temporary hosts to a refugee family or provide vacant property, and/or to assist in helping newly arrived refugees get settled, and donors who can give money or gently used furniture or household items.
“L.A. has a long history of welcoming refugees. When refugees are given the tools to become self-sufficient, they are empowered to fully participate in and give back to their communities. That is what makes the L.A. we know today so vibrant and diverse. Evacuating our Afghan allies is only the first step. We must be prepared to help them re-settle and succeed in their new lives,” said Cambria Tortorelli, President and CEO of IILA.
Those who are seeking to host refugees, volunteer, or make donations to support Afghan refugees while also making an impact on the local LA community can visit www.iilosangeles.org/ActNowforAfghanAllies.
International Institute of Los Angeles (IILA) a nonprofit founded in 1914 to help newly arrived immigrants in Los Angeles. IILA’s mission is to provide the skills, abilities and resources to help families become self-sufficient and to promote cross-cultural understanding. IILA employs over 120 staff that provide child care, legal aid, employment assistance, transportation, nutrition services, and other services to refugees, immigrants, survivors of human trafficking, and low-income working families.
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Media Contacts:
Cambria Tortorelli, President & CEO
(661) 349-1065
ctortorelli@iilosangeles.org
Alex T. Nguyen, Development Director
(323) 224-3800
anguyen@iilosangeles.org
