PR96597

WASHINGTON D.C., June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

-Welcome Connect developed by Goldman Sachs, ServiceNow, and Infosys with

support from Breakthrough Prize Foundation's Tech for Refugees initiative

connects Americans with Ukrainians seeking refuge in the United States

-New 'Be a Welcomer' campaign connects Americans with opportunities to welcome

refugees, including donations of time, resources, and support

    Today, on World Refugee Day, Welcome.US is expanding pathways for Americans

to support newcomers, including launching Welcome Connect [

https://ukraine.welcome.us/connect ], a first-of-its-kind platform, developed

with support from Goldman Sachs, ServiceNow, Infosys, and the Breakthrough

Prize Foundation's Tech for Refugees initiative. While more than 58,000

Americans have already raised their hand to sponsor Ukrainians seeking safety

in the United States, there are still many more in need of refuge who have not

yet been matched with a sponsor. To bridge this gap and recruit Americans to

sponsor 100,000 Ukrainians [

https://welcome.us/press/welcome-us-announces-goal-to-mobilize-100-000-americans-to-sponsor-ukrainians-seeking-refuge-in-the-united-states

], Welcome.US and its partners created Welcome Connect, a user-friendly

platform to provide a safe, streamlined process for Americans looking to

connect with beneficiaries and serve displaced Ukrainians in need of a sponsor

but without a connection to one.

    Starting June 22, Americans interested in being sponsors can sign up

through Welcome Connect, where they will complete a training on sponsorship and

build a profile. Beginning June 29, Ukrainians seeking refuge in the United

States will be able to join the platform and once a threshold of profiles are

populated for both sponsors and beneficiaries, users will be invited to connect

with one another to pursue sponsorship.

    Welcome.US is also inviting people across America to pledge to 'Be a

Welcomer' and take action to support Ukrainian and Afghan newcomers. At the

Welcome.US 'Be a Welcomer' interactive art installation

[https://mailchi.mp/welcome.us/chicago-art-installation-wrd ] in Pioneer Court

in Chicago, Illinois from June 17–21, visitors can share a message of welcome

for newcomers. Americans can also send a virtual postcard or recorded video

message of welcome online [ https://ukraine.welcome.us/wrd2022 ]. As one of the

top 10 cities where Afghan and Ukrainian newcomers are being resettled in the

United States, Chicago is a microcosm of the welcoming taking place in dozens

of communities across the country. As a Welcomer, Americans can support

newcomers from Afghanistan, Ukraine, and elsewhere through sponsorship or by

volunteering, donating funds to the Welcome Fund to support community-based

organizations and essential goods for home set-ups, or providing other

resources including safe transportation or temporary housing through Welcome.US

and partners.

    "World Refugee Day is an opportunity to recognize the courage and

resilience of the millions who are forced to flee their home country and to

celebrate all who open their arms to welcome them," said Welcome.US CEO Nazanin

Ash. "We need everyone to get involved, that's why we are asking Americans to

pledge to be a Welcomer and take action to support those seeking safety in the

United States. Through the new Welcome Connect platform, and together with our

partners throughout the country, Welcome.US is inspiring and empowering people

from all across America to unite in common purpose and help newcomers thrive in

their new communities."

    CONNECTING DISPLACED UKRAINIANS WITH AMERICAN SPONSORS

    Ukrainians fleeing the war can seek refuge in the United States through the

recently announced Uniting for Ukraine [ https://www.uscis.gov/ukraine]

program. This federal program requires displaced Ukrainians to be sponsored by

a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, other lawfully present individuals,

non-profits, educational institutions, or an employer.

    The new Welcome Connect platform brings together interested Americans and

individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine who are in need of a sponsor, and

initiates the sponsorship process in an accessible, efficient, and secure way.

The easy-to-use site is designed to give agency to vulnerable Ukrainians and

ensure that first time sponsors have a positive experience.

    Welcome Connect was built with engineering leadership from Goldman Sachs [

https://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/goldman-sachs-gives/index.html], as

well as extensive support from ServiceNow [ https://www.servicenow.com/] and

Infosys [https://www.infosys.com/], who are providing expertise and support for

the initial build at no cost, including design, development, and technical

support. The Breakthrough Prize Foundation's [https://breakthroughprize.org/]

Tech for Refugees initiative will financially support the Welcome Connect

platform as it scales, and ServiceNow is hosting Welcome Connect on its Now

Platform at no cost. Integrations with additional platforms, including EdApp

[https://www.edapp.com/], are also currently being developed.

    This solution is designed to meet the immediate needs around sponsorship

for displaced Ukrainians, but can be adapted for future work related to private

sponsorship for other refugee groups.

    MEETING THIS HISTORIC MOMENT

    This year, World Refugee Day marks an unprecedented moment as the number of

forcibly displaced people worldwide reached 89.3 million by the end of 2021 and

has now surpassed 100 million for the first time in history, according to the

UN refugee agency [https://www.unhcr.org/62a9d1494/global-trends-report-2021].

Spurred by the war in Ukraine, the fall of Kabul in August 2021, and other

recent international conflicts, this figure represents one in every 78 people

in the world that has been forced to flee their homes, which is equivalent to

the 14th most populous country.

    About Welcome.US

    Welcome.US was founded to unite, inspire, and empower Americans to support

those seeking refuge here, beginning with Afghan refugees evacuated to the

United States after the fall of Kabul in August 2021. Welcome.US' ultimate

ambition is to grow the contributions and deep desire of everyday Americans to

help newcomers into durable capacity and an enduring commitment to welcome

those seeking refuge here.

     In partnership with local and national resettlement agencies, community

organizations and leaders, refugees, community sponsorship groups, nonprofits,

businesses, faith-based institutions, veterans, universities, four former

Presidents and four former First Ladies, Welcome.US is the single point of

entry for Americans who want to get involved and support those who are starting

new lives in the United States.

    To learn more about Welcome.US, please visit welcome.us

[http://www.welcome.us/].

    Source: Infosys