Community members donate supplies for Afghan refugees
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| Local residents bring donations for Afghan refugees at NOVA. |
Community members came out in force Aug. 21 to help Afghan refugees sheltered at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale.
The refugees were among the few able to catch a flight out of Kabul as the Taliban took over the country.
The State Department arranged for them to spend a couple of nights in the Ernst Community Cultural Center at NOVA while U.S. officials locate longer-term housing for them.
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| People sign up to volunteer at NOVA. |
NOVA and the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management asked people to donate supplies, such as diapers, clothing, children’s toys, infant formula, and phone chargers.
Members of the local Afghan community, NOVA students, and individuals responded, bringing boxes full of supplies. So many people offered to volunteer, that some had to be turned away.
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| People answer the call to help the refugees. |
To protect the safety of the refugees, public officials weren’t providing any information about how many Afghan families were at NOVA, how they got there, or other details.
Additional donations aren’t needed. “Thank you to all who have brought supplies for the Afghan refugees sheltering at NOVA, but please do not bring any more supplies to NOVA,” NOVA President Anne Kress tweeted. “We are overflowing with the kindness that our community has shown!”
This is very heartening response by the community. It is sad that they had to leave their home country under such difficult circumstances but I hope these refugees find safety, success, and happiness here in the United States.
Thanks to all the community folks who so generously donated and to Northern Virginia Community College for opening their doors to help the Afghan people. This is the best of America.
Are there other locations that are in need of more supplies?
Thank you, Ellie, for this article. NOVA CC was very glad to be able to help and so thankful for all the good people from the area and from the college who helped out. We are no longer taking donations, but rest assured that all items left after the people moved on were taken to local shelters and other area humanitarian organizations. Pam Hilbert, Provost, NOVA Annandale Campus