Immigrant & Refugee Volunteer Drive

Nov. 20, 2021

The City of Albuquerque’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs is teaming up with local faith-based and community-based organizations to recruit volunteers who wish to help the 200 Afghan refugees that are settling in Albuquerque as well as asylum seekers from other nations. The event was sponsored and organized by St. Michaels and All Angels Church, and involved over a dozen faith-based partners.

“Albuquerque is a welcoming city and our community has a strong history of stepping up to help people from all over the world who have chosen to make Albuquerque their home,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “This is the first chapter of these families’ New Mexican stories, and we are grateful to the volunteers who are helping make it a warm one.”

“Albuquerque welcomed me when I came as an immigrant, and we are ready to welcome refugees today, as we have many times before,” said Beatriz Valencia, Liaison for the City of Albuquerque Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs.

Organizations including ABQ Faithworks, Lutheran Family Services, Catholic Charities, Las Familias Solidarity, Dignity Mission of Placitas Presbyterian, and Episcopal Borderland Ministries recruited volunteers and accepted donations to help the refugees.

These groups link refugees and asylum seekers to resources and services that assist them as they relocate to the United States due to hostile conditions in their native countries. They provide access to healthy food, housing, medical, legal and language services. The organizations help families get on their feet in their new homes.

In 2018, the City Council adopted a resolution that designates Albuquerque as an immigrant-friendly city and expresses our City’s belief that we are stronger because of the 60,000 immigrants that have chosen to call Albuquerque home. The resolution recognizes the important role that immigrants and refugees play in our communities and economy.