November 29th is Giving Tuesday, and on this day Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) joins thousands of nonprofits around the world with an impassioned call for support during the season of giving.
Amidst the flurry of holiday sales and Christmas shopping, Giving Tuesday challenges us to pause and consider our neighbors in need. At LIRS, that includes hundreds of thousands of refugee and migrant families who are working to piece their lives together in America.
This Giving Tuesday, LIRS invites you to stand as a beacon of hope and welcome for these newcomers.
By supporting LIRS, you are lifting up some of our most vulnerable neighbors: children who have been separated from their families, young adults seeking a future free of gang violence, and refugees who were driven from their homes by persecution. This year, LIRS will help to resettle over 10,000 refugees. Your support will assist them as they begin new lives in America.
Take Azi, for instance. Like many of the refugees who leave their homes and families behind, Azi arrived in the United States alone and full of uncertainty. She had fled Burma after learning that she would be forced to work in the military, but once in America, it seemed like obstacles were all around her – a new language, a new culture, a new world.
As part of her resettlement process, Azi was paired with a foster family that welcomed her with open arms. This new home provided her a sense of belonging and support. Today, Azi has a degree in social work and is committed to giving back to the country that embraced her when she was in need.
Watch Azi share her story in her own words.
At LIRS, we work every day to ensure that refugees like Azi are resettled in welcoming communities and given the opportunity to thrive – and we need your support to carry out this important work!
On this Giving Tuesday, you can double your impact when giving to LIRS.
Between now and December 31, your gift will be matched—dollar for dollar—up to $260,000. This means your gift of $35 today will become $70… your gift of $50 will become $100… and we will be able to stretch your gift twice as far to support refugees and migrants in our communities.
As we approach the Christmas holiday, the very narrative of the nativity reminds us to make room in our hearts for strangers in need of refuge.
Celebrate this spirit of welcome today with LIRS – and give your most generous gift today.