The Work of Good Neighbors Continues
Volume 2, Issue 1 | May 2026
Welcome to the third edition of The Beacon! While the sprint of emergency arrivals has shifted, the marathon of sustaining the increasingly vulnerable refugee and immigrant families already here has just begun. Thankfully, the one thing that hasn’t changed is the abundance of good people like you seeking to support their refugee and immigrant neighbors. Inside this issue, you'll see how WelcomeNST is engaging those good people to surround their neighbors with lasting support, dignity, and hope.
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Defining the Moment: A Message from Liz
In our last newsletter in January, I wrapped up my message with this quote,
“President Jimmy Carter once said, ‘We’ve got to stop crying and start sweating, stop talking and start walking, stop cursing and start praying. The strength we need will not come from the White House, but from every house in America.'”
In this spirit, I want to jump right in and share what WelcomeNST is doing right now to “unleash the power of community to offer refuge to refugees and immigrants.”
We continue to form Neighborhood Support Teams (NSTs) for families already in the U.S. in two ways:
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Family NSTs: A group of neighbors/members of a faith community that form an NST and are matched with an immigrant or refugee family that needs help getting from “surviving” to “thriving.” Families are referred by our trusted local partners and specific goals are informed by a family application process.
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Community NSTs: A faith community that is looking for ways to support their immigrant neighbors is matched with an immigrant-based faith community that is seeking support. Together, they form an NST tasked with four goals: connecting families with legal services through WNST’s local partners, helping families lawfully prepare for the possibility of immigration enforcement contact, providing practical support (for example, food collection and delivery) and reaching out to individual families who are struggling.
These programs have been launched in Boston, Northern Virginia (NOVA) and Salt Lake City—and we plan to launch a new program in Seattle this summer. In order to effectively multiply our impact across multiple programs, we are leaning on partners identified through our deep grassroots networks in these areas and are hiring local highly connected Ambassadors in each city to form new NSTs, provide support to teams and connect them with local resources.
Here’s a short video that illustrates what this looks like!
EARLY RESULTS: We’re excited to report that our NSTs have already reached almost 400 immigrants and refugees in 2026! And, while the tasks for an NST that is walking alongside an immigrant family that has been here for a year or more are different, we’re thrilled to see that the mutual relationships of friendship and love that are forged in the work are as strong as ever.
So next time you’re watching the news feeling like all is lost, we at WelcomeNST stand witness to the reality that the love of good neighbors—the most common and most powerful force for change in the world—is alive and well. Just keep doing what you’re doing.
Community and Justice: A New Partnership for Immigrant Support
WelcomeNST first began forming Community NSTs in Boston by matching faith communities together in collaboration with UniteBoston’s massive network of churches. In the process, we saw an acute need for trusted, affordable legal support and found a solution in partnership with Immigrant Connection at Awaken City.
Thanks to this incredible partner, all families served by our new NSTs in Boston receive free Know-Your-Rights trainings and free individual consults as well as “low-bono” legal services. We are also deeply grateful for the generous donor who provided a grant to cover 80% of the subsequent legal fees for our first five NSTs in Boston.
This powerful offering has already been transformative for 100 people, with many more to come, and we plan to replicate it elsewhere. Thank you, UniteBoston and Immigrant Connection!
Celebrating Q1 Milestones
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Honoring the Final SIV Arrivals: Our incredible NSTs successfully welcomed the very last wave of Afghan SIV families just as the last door to the country slammed shut. This marked a historic moment in U.S. history and the official end of four years of sign-waving neighbors who welcomed 1000 new arrivals to U.S. airports across the country.
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Preparedness Playbook Launched: We developed and shared this crucial step-by-step tool to all NSTs to help families proactively and lawfully prepare for the possibility of immigration enforcement contact. The impact is already visible, with old and new teams alike using and sharing the guide for legal preparation. Take a look at this new tool!
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Secure Resource Hub (AWE Platform Launch): Catalyzed by volunteer feedback, we re-launched our AWE platform, a highly secure, private digital space for our NSTs. Teams are using the app to access vital resources and trainings, attend workshops, and connect with WelcomeNST Specialists. If you are, or have been, part of an NST, you can access AWE right now!
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Data-Driven Strategy: We have successfully surveyed our nationwide NSTs, then gathered and analyzed the results to help inform how we can best support our existing NSTs. This continues to inform our strategy for 2026-2027. It's never too late to take the survey!
Team Spotlight...The Ultimate Safety Net: Neighbors
Ana Kelly spent the early days of her career as an engineer for NASA’s space shuttle program, a role defined by mastering impossibly complex systems. But recently, she found herself navigating a system that is fundamentally challenged: the American refugee resettlement process.
Ana leads a Neighborhood Support Team of volunteers in Alexandria, Virginia, consistently going above and beyond to walk alongside a family of five. For Ana, who emigrated from Cuba when she was just two months old, this mission is deeply personal. She views this work as a chance to repay the unseen neighbors who once stood by her own family.
When an expected 90-day runway of traditional resettlement funding abruptly collapsed after just one month, the family of five suddenly faced the terrifying threat of eviction. But where outside programs are rigid, the WelcomeNST model is agile. Ana’s small but mighty team instantly became a literal safety net. They covered the financial gap and secured a 14-month lease in an apartment next door to the father's brother, preserving the family's vital cultural support system.
Because neighbors provided a vital runway, the family finally moved from surviving to thriving. Ana saw this shift firsthand under the New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Alexandria waterfront, watching with tears in her eyes as the parents finally exhaled and their children laughed in the crowd. Today, that breathing room has seeded true independence: the father drives for UberEats and is taking a construction class at night to increase his job skills, the mother now proudly holds her driver's permit, and the children are thriving in school. It is proof of a powerful truth for this movement: refuge can be found right next door.
Save the Dates!
June 20 is World Refugee Day!
To honor World Refugee Day on June 20, WelcomeNST is taking time throughout the month to recognize and celebrate the incredible work of our teams. Keep an eye on your inbox and don’t miss the chance to cheer each other on! We can't wait to share these incredible stories with you.
Preparation Playbook Training on May 21 (6-7 pm ET)
You're invited to join a training for NSTs on the Preparedness Playbook with the goal of promoting a proactive approach and clear action steps to lawfully and responsibly prepare for the possibility of immigration enforcement contact. We’re hosting this on AWE, our secure platform for sensitive discussions and private resources.
Existing AWE Members: RSVP to save your spot
New to AWE? Register Today (After sign-up, you’ll be redirected to the RSVP page)
You can Help
George W. Bush said, “The solution to each problem that confronts us begins with an individual who steps forward and says, 'I can help.”’ If you’re receiving this newsletter, you have done just that for a newly arrived family and for WelcomeNST.
Thanks to you, against all odds, we will impact more refugees and immigrants in 2026 than ever before. If you’re interested in helping out, learning more, or supporting us, here’s how: