
Resources for Community Partners and Sponsors
Cultural Orientation is a continuous and ongoing process for newcomers resettling to the United States. As such, opportunities to deliver key Cultural Orientation messages are not limited to resettlement staff. Receiving communities, including community partners and sponsors (e.g. support teams, co-sponsors, and sponsor circles), also play an important role in delivering key Cultural Orientation messages. This page provides resources for community partners and sponsors, including materials to use with newcomers.
Defining Community Partners and Sponsors
IMAGE CAROUSEL
Am I a community partner?
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Am I a community partner?
The term community partner refers to all organizations that provide resettlement services to newcomers, including but not limited to public safety workers, public assistance workers, educators, and healthcare professionals. Incorporating key Cultural Orientation messages into your services can help newcomers receive the vital knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to adapt to their new lives and achieve self-sufficiency.
Photo Credit: E Fichtner/IRC
What type of sponsor am I?
The term sponsor refers to community groups that provide direct resettlement services and financial support to newcomers as they resettle into their new communities. These groups may sponsor newcomers in collaboration with Resettlement Agencies or through the Sponsor Circle Program.
Cultural Orientation is a critical component of resettlement, and it is important for sponsors to learn key Cultural Orientation messages. All sponsors supporting newcomers from Afghanistan should review CORE’s Afghan Backgrounder and SIV stories video series to learn more about working with this population.
Photo Credit: Andrew Oberstadt /IRC
What is the Sponsor Circle Program?
The Sponsor Circle Program is a community-led resettlement initiative that allows everyday Americans to take on the responsibility of welcoming an Afghan newcomer to their communities. The program is an emergency response launched to ensure that all arriving Afghans receive welcome and support. The Sponsor Circle Program pairs Afghan newcomers with community groups eager to provide support.
Photo Credit: Andrew Oberstadt /IRC
What is the role of the Resettlement Agency?
Sponsorship has long existed in the United States. However, since the Refugee Act of 1980, Resettlement Agencies have played a formal and critical role in the provision of early resettlement services. As such, CORE’s resources reference the Resettlement Agency (or case manager) as the primary service provider.
When not sponsoring newcomers in collaboration with Resettlement Agencies, you are responsible to provide all early resettlement services. However, the Resettlement Agency may provide integration services to newcomers. To avoid confusion, clarify your role and the role of the Resettlement Agency with newcomers.
Photo Credit: Sarah Stacke/IRC
Resources for Sponsors
Once you complete the mandatory trainings required to be certified and serve as a sponsor, you should:

Sponsorship Orientation

Onboarding Checklist for Sponsors

Sign Up for CORE’s Newsletter
Resources for Newcomers
The term newcomer includes refugees, Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders and humanitarian parolees from Afghanistan. Community partners and sponsors should review and share CORE’s Settle In resources with newcomers. Be sure to explore these resources before introducing them to newcomers. This will help you answer their questions. Newcomers can access CORE’s multilingual Settle In resources through a website, app, and social media.

COREnav Website

Settle In App

Settle In Facebook
Additional Resources
- Community Sponsorship Hub: Information about all forms of sponsorship
- Refugee Council USA: Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities by Resettlement Agency
- Refugee Welcome Collective: Training for Sponsors
- Sponsor Circles: Sponsor Circle Program
- Welcome.US: Sponsorship Portal
- CORE: About Refugee Populations
- Department of Homeland Security: Operations Allies Welcome
- Refugee Processing Agency: Directory of local Resettlement Agencies
- Switchboard: Who are the Afghan Newcomers? Understanding the Background and Socio-cultural Strengths and Needs of Afghan Evacuees to the U.S.
- Switchboard: A Round-up of Resources for Serving Afghan Evacuees
Destination Guides: These guides provide information on mosques, halal grocery stores, social services, and programming in local communities. These guides are available for the regions listed below.
Northeast:
- Connecticut: New Haven (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Maine: Lewiston (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Massachusetts: Jamaica Plain (English, Dari/Pashto), Lowell (English, Dari/Pashto), South Boston (English, Dari/Pashto), West Springfield (English, Dari/Pashto), Worcester (English, Dari/Pashto)
- New Jersey: Elizabeth (English, Dari/Pashto), Highland Park (English, Dari/Pashto), Jersey City (English, Dari/Pashto),
- New York: Albany (English, Dari/Pashto), Buffalo (English, Dari/Pashto), New York (English, Dari/Pashto), Rochester (English, Dari/Pashto), Syracuse (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Pennsylvania: Erie (English, Dari/Pashto), Harrisburg (English, Dari/Pashto), Lancaster (English, Dari/Pashto), Philadelphia (English, Dari/Pashto), Pittsburgh (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Rhode Island: Providence (English, Dari/Pashto)
South:
- Arkansas: Fayetteville (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Florida: Clearwater (English, Dari/Pashto), Dora (English, Dari/Pashto), Fort Myers (English, Dari/Pashto), Jacksonville (English, Dari/Pashto), Miami (English, Dari/Pashto), Palm Springs (English, Dari/Pashto), Sarasota (English, Dari/Pashto), Tallahassee (English, Dari/Pashto), Tampa (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Georgia: Decatur (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Kentucky: Bowling Green (English, Dari/Pashto), Lexington (English, Dari/Pashto), Owensboro (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Maryland: Baltimore (English, Dari/Pashto), Frederick (English, Dari/Pashto), Hyattsville (English, Dari/Pashto), Silver Spring (English, Dari/Pashto)
- North Carolina: Charlotte (English, Dari/Pashto), Durham (English, Dari/Pashto), Greensboro (English, Dari/Pashto), Raleigh (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Oklahoma: Oklahoma City (English, Dari/Pashto), Tulsa (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Tennessee: Nashville (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Texas: Austin (English, Dari/Pashto), Dallas (English, Dari/Pashto), El Paso (English, Dari/Pashto), Fort Worth (English, Dari/Pashto), Houston (English, Dari/Pashto), San Antonio (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Virginia: Charlottesville (English, Dari/Pashto), Dale (English, Dari/Pashto), Harrisonburg (English, Dari/Pashto), Newport News (English, Dari/Pashto), Richmond (English, Dari/Pashto)
Midwest:
- Illinois: Chicago (English, Dari/Pashto), Moline (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Indiana: Indianapolis (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Iowa: Des Moines (English, Dari/Pashto), Sioux City (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Kansas: Kansas City (English, Dari/Pashto), Wichita (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Michigan: Ann Arbor (English, Dari/Pashto), Dearborn (English, Dari/Pashto), Grand Rapids (English, Dari/Pashto), Kalamazoo (English, Dari/Pashto), Lansing (English, Dari/Pashto), Troy (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Minnesota: Minneapolis (English, Dari/Pashto), Richfield (English, Dari/Pashto), Saint Paul (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Missouri: Columbia (English, Dari/Pashto), St. Louis (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Nebraska: Lincoln (English, Dari/Pashto), Omaha (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Ohio: Cleveland (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Wisconsin: Greenbay (English, Dari/Pashto), Milwaukee (English, Dari/Pashto)
West:
- Arizona: Glendale (English, Dari/Pashto), Phoenix (English, Dari/Pashto), Tucson (English, Dari/Pashto)
- California: Glendale (English, Dari/Pashto), Los Gatos (English, Dari/Pashto), Modesto (English, Dari/Pashto), North Highlands (English, Dari/Pashto), San Jose (English, Dari/Pashto), Turlock (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Colorado: Denver (English, Dari/Pashto), Lakewood (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Idaho: Boise (English, Dari/Pashto), Twin falls (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Nevada: Reno (English, Dari/Pashto)
- New Mexico: Albuquerque (English, Dari/Pashto), Las Cruces (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Oregon: Portland (English, Dari/Pashto), Salem (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Utah: Salt Lake City (English, Dari/Pashto)
- Washington: Spokane (English, Dari/Pashto), Tacoma (English, Dari/Pashto),Vancouver (English, Dari/Pashto)
Disclaimer: Destination Guides were developed by the Department of Homeland Security as a part of the response to the Operation Allies Welcome Mission. The documents, including organizations and businesses listed, do not necessarily represent endorsement and should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government per 5 CFR § 2635.702.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Introduction to Case management for Refugee Service Providers
- Switchboard: What Can We Do to Protect Clients and Staff? Tips for Getting Started with Safeguarding and Protection
- Switchboard: Guide: Trauma-Informed Care: Movement Towards Practice
- Switchboard: Guide: Cultural Competence in Refugee Service Settings: Guidance for Service Providers Based on a Scoping Review of the Literature
- CORE: Working with Interpreters
- Switchboard: Introduction to Working with Interpreters
- Bridging Refugee Youth & Children’s Services (Brycs): Information hub for empowering immigrant children and their families
- Switchboard: Toolkit: Supporting Afghan Students in Schools & Youth Programs in the United States