Welcome Corps

In accordance with the executive order, “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,” refugee travel to the United States and all U.S. Refugee Admissions Program refugee case processing activities are suspended until further notice. This includes intake of new applications for the Welcome Corps, as well as processing of all active or previously submitted applications. CWS is currently unable to assist new Welcome Corps sponsors. If you’d like to learn about more immediate ways to help refugees in your community, please email our sponsorship inbox.

In January 2023, the U.S. Department of State announced the launch of the Welcome Corps, a new program that allows community members to sponsor and welcome refugees to their neighborhoods. Welcome Corps expands the resettlement capacity of the United States and equips sponsors to provide all the services refugee newcomers need in their first few months.

Read more about Welcome Corps, including eligibility and fundraising requirements, here:

Partner with CWS

Church World Service is excited to participate in the Welcome Corps program as a Private Sponsor Organization (PSO). As a PSO, CWS provides remote technical assistance to Private Sponsor Groups (PSGs) doing the resettlement work in their communities.

What is technical assistance?

Technical assistance includes guidance, support, and coaching from expert CWS staff for all the stages of resettlement:

  • Preparing your Welcome Corps application (e.g. forming a group, fundraising)
  • Preparing for newcomer arrival (e.g. finding housing, talking with schools)
  • Welcoming the newcomers (e.g. airport pickup, applying for benefits)
  • Helping newcomers adjust to the community (e.g. finding employment, enrolling in English language programs)
  • Preparing newcomers for long-term integration (e.g. budgeting, managing healthcare)

We know many sponsors have never welcomed refugees to their communities before, so we’ll pair you with a resettlement agency staff member who will meet with you regularly over video or phone calls to answer questions and give advice. If your group encounters a problem or isn’t sure what to do next, your CWS staff member will be your first point of contact.

Interested in working with CWS as your Private Sponsor Organization? Fill out our Private Sponsor Group Interest Form and a CWS Neighbor Network staff member will contact you:

CWS Private Sponsor Group Interest Form
Already have a Welcome Corps application in progress? Select “CWS” as your PSO on the application drop-down list, and our staff will be notified.

Downloadable Resources

Tap or click on a link to automatically download the resource to your device or computer.

Welcome Corps Journey Guide
Neighbor Network Technical Assistance Timeline
Building a Private Sponsorship Group