We’re casting the spotlight on our Idaho affiliate, Agency for New Americans (ANA), a refugee resettlement agency that utilizes a “holistic approach to assisting its refugee clients to get on the path to self-sufficiency and integration”. One of the ways they are assisting their clients? Car donations!

Located in Boise, ID, ANA is a program of Jannus, Inc. and a private, non-profit organization. With a mission focused on “improv[ing] the educational, social and economic well-being of new Americans and communities in which they live by creating individual, agency and public/private partnerships,” ANA has worked diligently to leverage social platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and NextDoor (a mobile app that empowers neighbors around the world to “share trusted information, give and get help, and build real-world connections with neighbors, businesses, and public services”) to raise funds and secure in-kind donations for the families and communities they serve.

As of March 22, 2022, ANA has received donations of six cars, three of which have been delivered to Afghan Placement and Assistance (APA) clients. The donations empowered the clients to independently pursue opportunities within their communities.

Just this past week, ANA lifted up a family of seven on their social media, writing “When we first told this family we may be able to get them a car, they couldn’t believe it. ‘Why would someone want to donate a car to a refugee, to someone they don’t know?’ they asked us. Well that is exactly what the community donated to our agency. Now, this family is driving in style through Boise, giving them more access to opportunities throughout treasure valley.”

Since ANA is responsible for furnishing many of the homes of newly arrived neighbors per official resettlement and placement guidelines, in-kind donations remain one of the most valuable means of support. Besides vehicle donations, ANA specifies many high priority items in a variety of categories, such as knives, cutting boards, trash cans, Tupperware, shower curtains, laundry detergent, personal hygiene items, soap, dressers, bedside tables, shelves, professional interview clothing, bikes, shoes, and pre-paid phones.

All items go directly to supporting newly arrived neighbors and their families, to help them on their path to self-sufficiency in their new lives in the U.S.

To learn more about ANA, visit: http://www.anaidaho.org/

If you are interested in providing support to our community of newest neighbors through our Neighbor to Neighbor initiative there are many ways to get involved.

To donate online, visit: iam.ec/emm
To become a community sponsor, visit: iam.ec/neighbortoneighbor
To fundraise for EMM, visit: episcopalmigrationministries.org/fundraise/