What is Sponsorship?
You and your congregation can take part in making an important difference in the lives of refugees through co-sponsorship. Your congregation may have previously co-sponsored refugees and is thinking about doing so again, or it may be thinking about co-sponsorship for the first time. In all cases, it is important to understand what is involved in co-sponsoring a refugee.

Refugee co-sponsors have three general responsibilities. They act as guides, friends and advocates to those newly arrived in the United States. In all cases, their overall goal is to assist refugees, as necessary, to become self-sufficient as soon as possible.

How Can I Help?
Sponsors are critical to our mission of placing refugees in Virginia communities. Without sponsors, none of the work we do to help refugees can go forward, they are the lynchpins of our program and we urge congregations and organizations who feel called to help refugees to offer their communities as sponsors. This is the greatest thing you can do to help these famlies as they try to rebuild their lives.

However, there are other roles to fill as well. Our volunteers help by educating their congregations about the reality of refugees worldwide, welcoming new arrivals at the airport, providing time to help tutor new arrivals in English, helping them to find housing or providing contacts to find a job. Donations of furniture to new families, as well as offering to show them the basics of life in your community, are also invaluable services. Whether you feel your church or organization can pledge to sponsor a family or you wish to volunteer your time for the above-mentioned roles, please contact us to today.

We'll Help You
The Virginia Council of Churches Refugee Resettlement program is here, every step of the way. We will provide with you with the information and support you need to welcome a refugee family into your community and help them acheive self-reliance in their new home. Caseworkers will be in constant contact with your congregation or organization and the family itself, ensuring everything is taken care of. By agreeing to sponsor or volunteer, you are entering into a wider community, joining those who are already on the front lines of the current refugee crisis. You will not be going it alone, and there will always be dozens of people to step in and assist you when you need it.

Below are listed our five locations in Virginia and Maryland. If you would prefer to contact the VCC via email, please refer to the online contacts page below.