The Story – Phase 2
PHASE 2 (APRIL 2022 – APRIL 2023):
PROVIDING IMMEDIATE NEEDS AND SOCIAL CONNECTION
By the winter of 2021, the outpouring of community support from across Oklahoma was so great that we realized we could dream bigger regarding how we served Afghan neighbors. In April 2022, with a generous donation from APPNA (Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America), CAIR Oklahoma opened our Refugee Resource Center at St. John’s Episcopal Church and School, a neighborhood partner with a vision and mission of respecting the dignity of all people and promoting justice, peace, and love.
Twelve CAIR Oklahoma volunteers and 14 friends from Tinker Airforce Base moved us into our new space in only 4 hours! With quadruple the space of our original clothing closet, we increased our ability to distribute donations quickly and jumped from serving an average of 5-6 households per week to 15-20 households per week.
Moving in
Tinker Airforce Base volunteers
Men’s Clothing Room
Women’s Clothing Room
Household Items
Hygiene Items
As we moved into the Resource Center, we also partnered with Catholic Charities and The Spero Project to host Afghan neighbors’ first Eid ul-Fitr celebration. Because many households were still living in hotels, we decided to bring the celebration to them, and with the support and assistance of hotel management and staff, we threw a large party in one of the parking lots. Hundreds of guests enjoyed face painting, balloon animals, games, food, snow cones, dancing, and a toy giveaway sponsored by Kalidy Kia.
Throughout 2022, roughly 80% of Afghan households who moved here under Operations Allies Welcome visited the CAIR-OK Resource Center’s doors to choose clothing, hygiene items, and household goods for their families and homes. It is also a place where friends got reacquainted, met the newest (and littlest) members of families, and got connected to resources and services provided by other agencies and organizations.
Interfaith, community, and corporate supporters donated time as volunteers and resources (financial as well as in-kind items) to keep the CAIR-OK Resource Center open and stocked with much-needed items for one full year.
Free menstrual products distributed
Number of volunteers who served at the CAIR-OK Resource Center
Number of volunteer hours served at CAIR-OK Resource Center
value
Interfaith, community, and corporate supporters donated time as volunteers and resources (financial as well as in-kind items) to keep the CAIR-OK Resource Center open and stocked with much-needed items for one full year.
Our partners and donors always stepped up to support special drives, including those for prayer rugs, backpacks and school supplies, and winter coats and accessories.
Prayer rugs distributed
Filled backpacks for Putnam City School students in 2022
Winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and socks for Afghan neighbors
If you would like to partner with CAIR Oklahoma, please email Jen Hund (Refugee Services Director; jhund@cair.com).