Our Initiatives
What We’re Doing Now
CAIRS is an “umbrella'“ organization helping to coordinate resources for our local Sponsor Circles and provides support directly to refugees in the Carbondale area.
Sponsor Circles:
CAIRS has supported 5 Sponsor Circles so far:
The First Presbyterian Sponsor Circle - has resettled an Afghan family to the area.
The Saint Francis Xavier Sponsor Circle - has resettled an Afghan family to the area.
The Carbondale Unitarian Fellowship Sponsor Circle - has resettled an Afghan family to the area.
The Heartland Sponsor Circle - has resettled an Afghan family to the area.
Safe Arbors Carbondale - is comprised of several members of the Saint Francis Sponsor Circle and is working to bring remaining family members to Carbondale. Currently, one of our resettled Afghan friends has family who are stuck in Pakistan in a dangerous situation. Safe Arbors needs help raising money to relocate them to a safer country.
Start your own Sponsor Circle - CAIRS is also actively seeking individuals or groups that would like to start their own Sponsor Circle. While no new refugees are being admitted to the country under this program at this time, there are currently refugees already in the U.S. needing support.
Speaker Program
CAIRS has a speaker program available to interested organizations. The program reviews the history of the organization, the families that have received assistance thus far, and an overview of the current status of the country’s Afghan refugee efforts. Groups that would like to have a presentation can contact CAIRS on the Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/CarbondaleCAIRS/.
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Our group was formed in response to the Syrian Refugee crisis in 2016. Unfortunately, no real method of direct outreach to refugees was possible at that time since most relocations were private or took place through a few national-level agencies.
In 2022 the U. S. State Department announced a program that would allow local organizations like CAIRS to directly welcome refugees to their communities. Unfortunately, that program is only for Afghans but CAIRS offers support to all refugees in the Carbondale area.
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In 2021 when a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan erupted, CAIRS members again felt called to respond.
When the Sponsor Circle program was announced through an organization called React DC, our community immediately began organizing applications for Sponsor Circles. As of January 2024, Sponsor Circles in the Carbondale area have resettled 4 families locally.
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In February of 2022, when yet another humanitarian crisis emerged, in Ukraine this time, after the Russian invasion - CAIRS members began exploring ways to help.
A similar Sponsor Circle Program will be set up through React DC (as of May 2022) and CAIRS would like to extend support to Ukrainians in the same manner. If you would like to sponsor Ukrainians, see our How you Can Help Page.
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As of January 2024, CAIRS is working with multiple organizations and community members to investigate ways to relocate Venezuelan Asylum seekers from Chicago to the Carbondale area. Our goal is to get people of off the cold streets, into housing and ultimate working productive jobs to enrich our community. See our How You Can Help Section for more.
CAIRS Media
View April 2025 Announcement & Request Here
Carbondale's Welcoming Response to Afghan Refugees - Presented by The Carbondale Public Library
Relevant Media
Below are some videos and articles you might find interesting or related to refugee resettlement
The UN and Afghanistan: Connecting Global Roads to Local Goals (UNA-USA Annual Meeting) - The Carbondale Public Library
The LWV presents: Welcoming Refugees: What Past Experience Tells Us About What Afghans Can Expect - Presented by The Carbondale Public Library