Private Sponsorship: A Way to Resettle Refugees
The biggest innovation to refugee resettlement in 40 years occurred in 2023. The U.S. government launched Welcome Corps, a program that provides a new legal pathway for refugees to be resettled.
Private Sponsor Groups of five or more individuals can resettle refugees in their communities. These groups welcome, support, and assist refugees as they rebuild their lives. Your Exodus Team walks alongside Private Sponsor Groups every step of the way. Now, Private Sponsorship has expanded to help reunite refugees in the U.S. with loved ones still waiting to be resettled.
In this exciting new chapter of resettlement, your Exodus Team is mobilizing Private Sponsor Groups and is ready to equip and support them. If you’re interested in learning more, we are here to answer your questions. Let’s start a conversation.
How to Be Part of Private Sponsorship
Ready to learn more about Private Sponsorship? Your Exodus Team is here to help you, your church, or your group understand how to welcome refugees through this program. Attend an upcoming live or Zoom Info Session.
Steve and Mary’s Story
for a refugee family but transformed their lives and the community as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
about
Private Sponsorship
Private Sponsorship empowers everyday Americans to come together to resettle refugees in their communities. This legal pathway, through the Welcome Corps, operates alongside existing pathways, creating opportunities to expand welcome.
Exodus is an accredited Private Sponsor Organization through the Welcome Corps. That means Exodus is recruiting and supporting Private Sponsor Groups as they prepare for, receive, and care for refugee newcomers. Your Exodus Team is providing resources and training to volunteers. Private Sponsorship offers a new legal pathway for refugees to resettle in local communities and operates alongside existing pathways. As such, all of Exodus’ current programs are continuing, as well.
You can form a Private Sponsor Group (PSG) to resettle a refugee individual or family in your community. American citizens and permanent residents can come together to form PSGs. To qualify, groups must have a minimum of five members who are over the age of 18 and who live in or near the same community.
Private Sponsor Groups commit to providing welcoming services to arriving refugees for their first 90 days in the community. They secure and furnish housing, provide for initial basic needs, and make connections to relevant services, such as health care, education, and employment services. Most importantly, welcomers offer friendship and support to newcomers as they rebuild their lives. Even though the sponsorship commitment is for
just 90 days, the friendships built may last a lifetime.
Your Exodus Team is providing PSGs with tools and resources, including a budget template, fundraising support, an arrival checklist, and ongoing guidance throughout the sponsorship period.
Like the refugees served in all of our programs, refugees welcomed through private sponsorship fled their country due to war or persecution and are approved for resettlement by the U.S. government. Many of those who will be welcomed have been waiting in refugee camps for years.
You can become a private sponsor through a multi-step process that includes forming a group of five or more individuals, completing an application process, undergoing a background check, and demonstrating sufficient resources.
Sponsors must raise a minimum of $2,425 in cash and in-kind contributions for each refugee newcomer being welcomed. This is used to secure and furnish housing and provide for the refugee’s initial basic needs.
Application support from Exodus World Service or Welcome Corps is free. While private sponsors secure funds as part of the application process, neither Exodus nor Welcome Corps collect funds from private sponsor groups or refugees.
Refugees should never pay money to be resettled. Private sponsors should never solicit or accept money from refugees to submit an application for them. Beware of scams and anyone who asks for or offers payment or services to complete an application or expedite processing. If anyone contacts you with these requests, please report it to the Welcome Corps at fraud@welcomecorps.org.
Private Sponsor Groups from anywhere across the U.S. can partner with Exodus. There is no geographic criteria in order for Exodus to serve you as your Private Sponsor Organization. If you’re interested in learning more about Private Sponsorship (from wherever you are!), we’d love to talk with you.
Exodus walks alongside volunteers every step of the way. Ready to learn more? Let’s get started!