Unleashing the
power of community
to offer refuge to refugees.
WelcomeNST empowers Neighborhood Support Teams (NSTs) to transform neighborhoods into communities of welcome for refugee families.
Our expertise. Your leadership. Their new beginning.
Our Impact
4,500+
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS
37
STATES
1,000+
REFUGEES WELCOMED
300+
NSTs
Who We Are
​​The Nation’s Largest Community-led Welcome Movement
​
WelcomeNST unleashes the power of community through Neighborhood Support Teams to create safe havens for refugee and immigrant families across the U.S. Since 2021, we have built a growing network of more than 4,500 neighbors across 37 states—from cities to small towns, from all political and faith backgrounds—to welcome over 1,000+ newcomers. This makes us the largest, privately funded, community-powered resettlement organization in the country.
​
What We Do
​Helping Communities
Turn Compassion into Action
​
We find the leaders, the hand-raisers in communities who want to make a difference in the lives of refugees and immigrants. We pour our know-how into mobilizing, mentoring, training, and supporting Neighborhood Support Teams in recruiting and leading their neighbors to welcome a refugee family looking for a safe, new beginning.
​
We work with families who have legal status and the right to work in the U.S., including Afghan allies and others left without support due to the closure of traditional resettlement agencies. By matching these families with Neighborhood Support teams, we ensure they receive the care, stability, and guidance they need to thrive and become fully self-sufficient.
​
What NSTs Do
.png)
​The Heart of the Welcome
​
Neighborhood Support Teams are volunteer groups of 10–20 people who come together to welcome a refugee or immigrant family into their community. Guided by two team leaders and supported with training and mentorship from WelcomeNST, these teams take on everything from securing housing and raising funds to assisting with jobs, education, healthcare, and everyday life. NSTs commit to supporting a family for at least six months—but the friendships and impact often last a lifetime.
​
Grant B.
NST Leader (Massachusetts)
The experience [of sponsorship] has been enjoyable, personally deeply satisfying, often humorous, and occasionally frustrating. Our help often focused on mundane aspects of life— but the result was a greater abundance of the best parts of life for all of us—friendship, gratitude, personal growth, and meaning. Join a Neighborhood Support Team. You can do it! Your life will be better if you do.”
Cliff M.
NST Leader (Alabama)
The impact of leading an NST has been enormous. It’s been tremendously rewarding to see the family’s progress and success in receiving their first paycheck, going to school, learning English, and more. It’s been invaluable for our kids, too. To anyone considering welcoming a family, I encourage you to take the leap. It is worthwhile. You will be a blessing in someone’s life—and they in yours!
Kathy R.
NST Leader (Massachusetts)
It's been beautiful to watch our community come together and welcome a new family. We didn’t really know each other just a short six weeks ago, and now we feel so connected. Nothing has changed my life or my family's life more than this experience. My heart is exponentially larger. I have more friends. I have more family. There's just so much good that comes out of this work.