Welcome.US

At Gap Inc., we are committed to bridge gaps - from equity and inclusion to climate and opportunity - to create a better world.  We are proud to have been a partner to Welcome.US, a national organization committed to welcoming and providing support to those seeking refuge in the United States and helping them thrive. As a first generation immigrant, I am personally really moved by the mission and the impact of the Welcome.US organization and was honored when Richard Dickson asked me to host a workshop at Gap Inc. in partnership with Welcome.US, bringing together my peers from 16 companies from Accenture, Airbnb, American Express Global Business Travel, Bank of America, Cisco, Google,HP, Lyft, Mastercard, Meta, Netflix, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Uber, YouTube, to collaborate on a creative solution together to reinvigorate the Welcome.US signature #BeAWelcomer marketing campaign and further their impact efforts. Not only was it incredible to connect with other thought leaders across industries but it was also great to harness the collective impact of broad perspectives to discuss and problem solve together. It was a new powerful forum of creative solutioning for social impact, and the energy and enthusiasm in the room was really electric. A big thank you to Nazanin Ash and Monna Kashfi for your leadership and for bringing us all together, to Daniel Fibiger, Melina Wyatt, Brit Elise Rocourt (she/her), and Juliette Velez for all your efforts in making this workshop happen. And thank you to  David Moskovitz, Jill Kramer, Kaitlyn King, Evan Konwiser, David C. Tyrie, Rebecca Stone, Thomas Schoenfelder, John Koller, Brian Irving, Rustom Dastoor, Dave Kaufman, Ferial Govashiri, Kelly Haut Thacker, Jim Lesser, Shauna Derby, Danielle Tiedt, for your thought leadership and for joining us at Gap Inc in San Francisco.

Last week, the Welcome.US team participated in its third United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week in New York. Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash shares what it meant to meet with global leaders and change-makers to take on some of the world’s biggest problems—including tackling global displacement in our own communities. Get an inside glimpse into her week at UNGA ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ergXQ9J2 Clinton Global Initiative Goals House Google Choose Love Emtithal Mahmoud Josie Naughton The Harris Poll Libby Rodney

What a milestone! This past fiscal year, Americans welcomed more than 100,000 refugee to the U.S. On behalf of SHERR—Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement—Welcome.US is grateful to all those who play a part in supporting refugee resettlement and welcoming newcomers to safety here.

From tasting maple syrup, to toasting s’mores in the backyard, to camping trips to Lake George, Jennifer Schuttig and her family shared many firsts with newcomers Viktoria, Sergey, and their 14-year-old son Nikita when the family arrived in New York in 2022. “I feel like I'm making a difference in her life and her family's life,” Jennifer said. “[Viktoria] thanks me so much whenever I talk to her. I can tell she is truly grateful.” Introducing Viktoria and her family to new activities and traditions in their community helped the two families quickly bond and the newcomer family feel welcome. We asked Welcomers to share the activities they participated in to help newcomers discover a sense of belonging in their new community: - Visiting the downtown of your city - Sight-seeing at local landmarks - Watching a concert or play - Participating in hometown traditions like going to parades We’d love to hear your own ideas to share and celebrate first “experiences” with newcomers! Post on social media with the tag #WaysWeWelcome.

We are deeply inspired by the commitment of the Welcome.US CEO Council as we continue to build a more durable infrastructure to welcome newcomers -- thanks to the ability of our private sector partners to innovate quickly and at scale!    At our recent convening, Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson, offered tangible takeaways at our August #BeAWelcomer workshop where marketing leaders from 16 fellow CEO Council companies focused on reinvigorating our signature marketing campaign, #BeAWelcomer.    The insightful feedback and renewed energy from Council members to grow the campaign will allow for a new direction and increased engagement in 2025 and beyond. And Gap Inc. is leading the way in 2025 with a donation that will fuel our efforts to reach new audiences and inspire even more Americans to get involved as Welcomers!   We are so grateful to our hosts Gap Inc. for bringing people together to help bridge the gaps to a better world. We are excited to think about ways to leverage this model of collective impact and continue to create forums to bridge gaps in new and different ways.  Old Navy BEHNAZ GHAHRAMANI

Join Welcome.US at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 10, for a live webinar to learn how you can play a critical role in reuniting an Afghan family here in the U.S. through sponsorship. Experienced sponsors, Afghan newcomers, and Welcome Corps experts will share what the program is, how it works, and who is eligible. There will be time to have your questions about sponsorship answered. Through the Welcome Corps, an initiative of the U.S. Department of State, American citizens and permanent residents can sponsor refugees, providing them with a pathway to permanent residency, citizenship, and eligibility to work immediately upon arrival. Register here → https://lnkd.in/erfjm-ip

Helping newcomers to start a line of credit is a great way for them to plan for financial stability. Here are some practical tips that can help newcomers build a strong credit history: • Pay rent and utility services on time. • Open a starter credit card, and make consistent payments.  • Discuss how to budget large payments, for example, a first vehicle. Building credit can be a long and confusing process, but results in a secure financial future for newcomers. Here at Welcome.US, we support sponsors through every step of their sponsorship journey. Visit welcome.us/resources for more tips today.

And that’s a wrap on a rewarding and impactful week for our Welcome.US team in New York! Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash took the main stage at the Clinton Global Initiative on Monday, sharing the impact of the inspiring work of Welcomers across the country and the ways that everyday Americans are showing what’s working when it comes to taking on tough challenges—including the global refugee crisis. Welcome.US co-hosted a roundtable at Goals House on Tuesday with Google and Choose Love, convening business leaders, activists, sponsors, newcomers, and NGO partners to help answer the question of how we can leverage partnerships of all types to bridge divides and make welcoming possible for more people. Journalist Karleen Leveille, MBA led us through a dynamic conversation, and poet and UNCHR Goodwill Ambassador Emtithal Mahmoud capped off our time at Goals House by sharing the unforgettable gift of her poetry. Welcome.US also convened a roundtable discussion at Clinton Global Initiative, in partnership with The Harris Poll and Chief Strategy Officer Libby Rodney bringing together thought leaders from the private sector, political leaders, and changemakers from civic and philanthropic organizations. The data shared in the room painted the picture of a nation grappling with fear and polarization, yet also a strong desire for unity. And the deeply personal stories shared by our Welcome Connect and Welcome Corps sponsors showcased the transformative power of a culture that prioritizes welcoming and human connection. And our CEO Council partner, Gibson Dunn graciously convened leaders from across the Council to share what drives them to invest in our welcoming work. The collective action of our CEO Council members leads private sector innovations that connect refugee newcomers to the safety and support they need as our new neighbors in the United States. The energy and determination we felt this week excites us for what more we can accomplish as our community of Welcomers grows! #CGI2024 #UNGA2024 #SustainableDevelopment #GlobalGoals

We are grateful to participate in these impactful partnerships and meaningful conversations.

Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash addressed Clinton Global Initiative Monday night, sharing how sponsorship is more than a solution to global displacement—it’s healing divides and strengthening communities. Welcomers in over 12,000 zip codes and all 50 states are showing the power of sponsorship—changing the lives of newcomers as well as their own. “When we look around, we see solutions, not crises,” Nazanin said. “I hope you see the same, and join this welcoming movement.” Welcome.US is proud to be a part of What’s Working at #CGI2024.