AKRON, Ohio – The International Institute of Akron (IIA) is preparing to rehome an unknown number of Afghan families on the fly, following the announcement the U.S. would withdraw troops and resources from Afghanistan.

What You Need To Know

  • With the announcement the U.S. would withdraw troops from Afghanistan, many Afghan families are attempting to flee the country

  • The International Institute of Akron is a nonprofit that provides services to refugees who come through the federal Refugee Settlement Program

  • Many Akron-area residents are volunteering to help the incoming refugees

President Joe Biden set an Aug. 31 deadline for the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan citizens and allies from the country. Chaos erupted as the Taliban took hold, prompting thousands of Afghan citizens to try to leave the country. 

IIA has resettled one family and learned from the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants many more Afghanistan citizens are on the way to Akron, but how many and when they will arrive is uncertain, said Kevin Walter, IIA’s advocacy and community outreach coordinator.

“Initially, they were mostly concerned with getting them out of Afghanistan and once they're out of the country into the next staging area,” Walter said. “That's when they start more of the vetting process, the health screenings. And then after that is when they're assigned to wherever they're going to be going.”

IIA has led Akron’s efforts in resettling refugees and immigrants from around the globe since 1979, under the federal Refugee Settlement Program. Several countries participate in the program. 

In Akron, with a large stable of interpreters, IIA provides culturally and linguistically appropriate social services to refugees for the first 90 days, starting with finding housing and getting kids into schools, Walter said. The organization also provides English classes, employment services and assistance with life skills such as banking and navigating basic laws.

For needs beyond the first three months, IIA collaborates with many community groups and social service providers, he said. The organization also serves as a supportive base for immigrants once they are settled, offering citizenship classes and immigration legal services.

IIA had been gearing up for Afghan refugees ever since Biden’s announcement earlier this year that he would increase the number of refugees the U.S. receives into the resettlement program, he said.

“We had been building capacity to do that, not quite anticipating that it would be this quickly,” Walter said. “So we're working as fast as we can to build that capacity out.”

According to the International Rescue Committee, before 2017, the average annual cap for refugees admitted to the U.S. was 95,000 under both Republican and Democratic administrations. The Trump administration slashed refugee admissions by more than 85%, setting record-low admissions caps.

Summit County created a strategic welcome plan in 2017 outlining programs and services designed to help integrate foreign-born residents into the community.

Since the crisis has escalated in Afghanistan, the response from area residents who wish to help has been overwhelming, Walter said.

“We've been getting flooded with all kinds of calls and requests,” he said. “The support has been amazing.”

Monetary donations, which can be made online, are critical now as IIA needs to be flexible to meet refugees’ needs, he said.

“This process is set up so quickly. We might find out today that we get a family tomorrow or Thursday, which doesn't give us time to put out a donation call for specific items,” he said. “I know people like to be personally involved. But if we have monetary donations, it gives us that flexibility that if we need a mattress or something like that, that we can go get it and have it ready by tomorrow.”

Many people have expressed interest in volunteering, with offers of assistance coming from people trained in various health care professions, as well as from military members who served in Afghanistan, he said.

“I'm always taking volunteer applications. I've been flooded with them. You know, we're not going to have enough opportunities for everybody who wants to help,” he said. “But I welcome anybody, especially if they have a certain skill, they think that would be applicable.”

Because so much is unknown right now, Walter encourages people to visit IIA’s website and stay connected on IIA's social media pages for real time updates.

Over the past decade, IIA has settled about 200 Afghan citizens in the Akron area, many of whom are now offering to help, he said.

Anyone interested in volunteering can send an email to Walter, who will keep the application on file for at least two months and will notify applicants if a good fit opens, he said.