The Associated PressEven though Mousa Alkhafaji had finally received a Special Immigrant Visa for his work with the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq, his family’s original flight had been canceled when the Trump administration ordered a ban on travel from Iraq. Rather than wait for the ban to be lifted, the Alkhafajis decided to risk a big chunk of their savings to book another flight and hope for the best.
That embrace came from Susan and Steve Bailey, Airbnb hosts who, like tens of thousands of others, agreed to house refugees as part of the online lodging marketplace’s philanthropic program to provide emergency temporary housing to the needy. It’s a program now seen as a model for those working to resettle refugees and a core mission of Airbnb.org, Airbnb's nonprofit program, which marks its first anniversary Tuesday.
Jennifer Bond, founder of the University of Ottawa Refugee Hub, chairwoman of the Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative and a member of Airbnb.org’s board of directors, said Airbnb “really taught the world new ways to think about hosting” and has applied that know-how to Airbnb.org. Airbnb's philanthropy started in 2012, when a Brooklyn host suggested the company temporarily house people displaced by Hurricane Sandy.
Then he was moved to stay with the Baileys, who threw him a welcoming party at which he met their neighbors and friends. Over time, they created a support system to help him navigate American life. “I’d like to think that we were tolerant people and were very accepting," she said."But we are forever enriched for having known all of these people.”
I heard there are 35,000 Afghans still currently living in military bases
Isn’t that nice, while there are families about to be EVICTED because they don’t have a job or can’t afford the high rents!
Who is footing this bill US Taxpayers
I’m sure there are all kinds of financial bonuses involved
Now do the same for homeless veterans. 🙏🏿
But have homeless vets and people living on the streets
Yeah, some Investor-Americans don't care who beds in their rentals as long as the profits flow
Yet we have millions of homeless folks here…
Yup the one across the street is smuggling them in getting paid big bucks by our evil TheDemocrats SenateDems HouseDemocrats while US citizens are going homeless and refused jobs. GOP SenateGOP stop this now.