In partnership with the Alight "Welcome Home Project," ICA has started distributing meals to Afghan families currently being settled in and around our communities. As part of the project, around 250 Afghan families are arriving to their new homes in Minnesota. The meals, which are purchased by Alight, include specific Halal groceries to ensure food is culturally relevant to our new neighbors.
Given the short time frame in which this need arose, ICA sent out an urgent email to volunteers last week to staff delivery slots the very next day. The response was overwhelming! Not only were we able to fill all the needs for that first day, but we also had enough willing volunteers to make deliveries over the weekend. When there's an opportunity to help our neighbors, time and time again ICA volunteers answer the call and go above and beyond. We can't thank you enough!
“We are already receiving calls from the volunteer community about how wonderful and important this work is for our community at-large,” says ICA Executive Director Dan Narr.
Going forward in February, additional volunteer opportunities will be added weekly to deliver groceries to our new neighbors. Volunteers are asked to use their own vehicle for the deliveries. Check back here for available slots.