About Us
In August 2021, in response to the evacuation of 75,000 Afghan refugees from Afghanistan, Elizabeth Davis-Edwards, a long-time advocate for refugees, quit her job as a marketing executive and formed WelcomeNST to engage communities to help resettle refugee families. More broadly, she dreamed of pioneering a community-powered model for refugee resettlement. In the months that followed, WelcomeNST has engaged thousands of community members from around the U.S. to form Neighborhood Support Teams (NSTs) to welcome refugee families to the U.S.
Today, WelcomeNST enables everyday Americans to offer refuge to refugee families from Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and around the world, proving once again that, when crisis hits, Americans will step up and meet the moment.
In the News
Elizabeth Davis-Edwards of Welcome NST on "The Weekend with Ed Kalegi"
Ed Kalegi talks with Elizabeth Davis-Edwards, founder of Welcome NST, an organization which is making it easier for individuals to help refugees in need.
Refugees Need Your Help, WelcomeNST Makes the Process Easier
WelcomeNST's innovative approach relies on the power of
communities. The organization offers a new method of
resettlement that harnesses the innate power of each
community one family at a time.
Refugees Need Your Help,WelcomeNST Makes the Process Easier
"Most people want to help refugees but don't know where to start or what to do," explains Elizabeth Davis-Edwards, founder of WelcomeNST. "Through Neighborhood Support Teams (NSTs), we're not just helping families, we're transforming lives and building bridges between neighbors.”
Molly's Heartwarming Journey of Welcoming a Ukrainian Family
Molly's journey of welcoming a Ukrainian family has left an indelible mark on her local community and church. The ripple effect of their kindness and open-heartedness has instilled a newfound sense of compassion and unity among its members.
Twelve Organizations Join the Welcome Corps to Help Everyday Americans Sponsor Refugees
WASHINGTON – Today, 12 diverse organizations joined the Welcome Corps as Private Sponsor Organizations. They will leverage their expertise to help recruit, support, and oversee Americans who are sponsoring newcomers through the Welcome Corps.
Ukrainian family living in Grand Rapids shares experience fleeing war for West Michigan
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — President Joe Biden's State of the Union address comes just weeks before the one year anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine. Currently, there are millions displaced because of the war.
A new program announced by the Biden Administration, called the Welcome Corps, means that anyone can make a sponsor group and raise about $3,000 per refugee to provide that initial support to get them in the U.S.
In a historic announcement, the U.S. Government expanded private sponsorship to refugees around the world.
This is the boldest innovation in refugee resettlement in four decades. WelcomeNST is thrilled to be named as one of the partners that will stand on the forefront of this historical shift.
Deseret News: The way home
“These families don’t want a better life, they just want a normal life without the sirens, the rockets and the explosions waking people up in the middle of the night,” said Yurii Slepak, a Kyiv native and country manager for WelcomeNST. “Our job here is to find the people that will benefit the most from this program.”
Deseret News: A nonprofit’s relatively simple answer to America’s complex immigration system: Be a neighbor
“These families don’t want a better life, they just want a normal life without the sirens, the rockets and the explosions waking people up in the middle of the night,” said Yurii Slepak, a Kyiv native and country manager for WelcomeNST. “Our job here is to find the people that will benefit the most from this program.”