Rote for Refugees

Please support my Rote for Refugees fundraiser for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta!

Friends, please join me and #StandWithRefugees! I’m committed to raising at least $500 to help the IRC's local, Atlanta-based staff to continue welcoming and serving refugees from Afghanistan and other crisis zones around the world as they rebuild their lives here in Georgia. No donation is too small! 

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta is working alongside communities and partners to support Afghans living in Georgia and ensure a warm welcome for newly arriving families in the weeks and months to come. The IRC in Atlanta has welcomed more than 900 people from Afghanistan—over 275 families—to a safe new home in Georgia over the past two decades. As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues to escalate, donating to the IRC in Atlanta is one way that we can help!

I have chosen to support the IRC in Atlanta because... 

My parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins are refugees from Afghanistan. 

My family fled Afghanistan in the 1970s to escape the war that was destroying their country and threatening their lives. After settling in America, they were able to rebuild their lives with the help of others. Growing up I recall hearing stories of their transition to life in a new country and challenges faced as well as sorrowful reminiscence of places and things of their childhood that cease to exist. 

I am eternally grateful for the life they've worked so hard to provide for us and would love to help others going through this difficult transition. 

Please commit to this work alongside us and make a donation to support the IRC in Atlanta and the people we serve today. For any donation over $10, as a special thank you, I would love to treat those in Atlanta to a traditional Afghan sweet bread called Rote. This lightly sweetened bread is dense in texture, has a hint of cardamom, and is sprinkled with sesame and poppy seeds. It's best enjoyed with a cup of tea or coffee! Please be sure to leave your name and contact information so I can coordinate getting it to you! 

Thank you for standing with refugees!

Susan Ali Gates

More about the IRC in Atlanta:

• The International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Atlanta creates opportunities for refugees and immigrants to integrate and thrive in Georgia communities. Since opening in 1979, the IRC's locally funded office in Atlanta has welcomed more than 27,000 refugees from over 60 countries to resettle in communities across the state. A committed staff of professionals and volunteers work together to assist families in reuniting and rebuilding their lives in the greater Atlanta area. The IRC in Atlanta offers a broad range of programs including resettlement and case management services, adult education classes, youth programs covering age 5 to 24, employment assistance, asset building resources, community health response programs, and immigration services, all of which serve close to 3,500 clients per year. Learn more: Rescue.org/Atlanta