BUFFALO, N.Y. — The City of Good Neighbors is about to add about 350 more of them from Afghanistan.

What You Need To Know

  • Buffalo is expecting to receive around 350 evacuees from Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrew its military forces
  • “Buffalo United for Afghan Refugees” is a campaign between five local groups to help settle Afghan evacuees before their asylum cases are heard
  • The groups helping evacuees are Catholic Charities of Buffalo, the International Institute of Buffalo, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Jewish Family Services of Western New York, and Journey’s End Refugee Services

A new campaign seeks to ease their transition to life in Buffalo; "Buffalo United for Afghan Refugees" is a joint collaboration between Catholic Charities of Buffalo, the International Institute of Buffalo, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Jewish Family Services of Western New York and Journey’s End Refugee Services.

"My family and I were fortunate enough to make it to the United States, the land of dreams and opportunities," says Milad Safary, an Afghan-American who emigrated from Afghanistan in 2015. "I was lucky enough to make those dreams come true. My dreams were simple - to get a good education, and to be able to support myself and my family."

"They should all be the same, the same as us. They should receive all the benefits," says Behrooz Ghohazrat, president of the Afghan-American Community of Buffalo. "We should not leave them on the ground; it’s not enough that they come from Afghanistan, and we give them a shelter."

Milad is a member of the Hazaras, an ethnic group that has been targeted by the Taliban. Milad says one of his best friends was killed by the Taliban during a suicide attack in 2016, and his grandma, aunt and uncle are stuck in Afghanistan.

"The rest of my friends and my classmates are all leaving Afghanistan," he says. "They were the first generation of Afghans who were experiencing freedom and the ability to exercise their rights. Those who were going to be engineers, doctors and politicians are now on the run and homeless in another country."

Milad and Behrooz are pleased to see five local groups coming together, and they hold the help doesn't stop there.

"I’m just asking everyone to show our hospitality to those people who have nowhere to go home," says Milad. "Let’s be their families and friends and their neighbors. Please, let’s welcome them and help them and encourage everyone to work with our community and share the resources with us in order to help them better."

"We will help with transportation. We will help with medical appointments. We will help with grocery shopping," says Behrooz. "Anything that can come from us, we are at your service."

The groups hope to raise $750,000. Since the Afghans are technically evacuees and not refugees, they won’t receive government benefits.