West Allis, WI – For the refugee resettlement team at Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan (LSS), the mission goes beyond supplying housing, supplies and resources. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel shared recently, Afghan refugees seek relief from trauma, stress and uncertainty. Mary Flynn, Manager for the LSS Refugee Resettlement Program, described an emotional exchange with one refugee.

“She took me by the hand and she pulled me close, and she gave me just the deepest, strongest, most emotional hug.”

To help supply Afghan evacuees with essential needs and basic support, LSS enlists local groups as co-sponsors. These groups, often connected with churches of various denominations, assist in finding and furnishing housing, driving refugees to appointments, and helping cover a variety of costs during their transition and resettlement period.

“It absolutely is a tremendous help,” Flynn said. “We could not have done the work that we’ve done in the past few months without these co-sponsor groups,” Flynn said.

To read the full story in the Journal Sentinel, click on the image below: